- Pogba hails Bruno Fernandes
- Calls for more recognition
- Believes he has been among the best this season
Paul Pogba has boldly claimed that Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes would be in the Ballon d’Or top three if he were playing for Manchester City.
The Portuguese star has been in fine form this season and is a key reason the Red Devils have jumped to third in the Premier League table. He has scored eight goals and assisted 18 times this season, leading many to call for him to be awarded the league’s Player of the Season.
Pogba was talking to Rio Ferdinand this week when he hailed the Portugal international. He claimed that the 31-year-old has done everything possible this season but is not getting the recognition he deserves because of those around him and the lack of silverware at Manchester United. He said:
“Do you think Bruno, if he’s in the other team, is not in the top three Ballon d’Or players? That’s for me. If you put Bruno in Man City – he is Ballon d’Or three. He’s in the three Ballon d’Or. Bruno Fernandes with the stats, the season, the way he plays, and everything. But when you don’t win, they don’t think about you. It’s like that. That is life.This is football.”
Pogba loved playing with Bruno Fernandes
Pogba spoke about his few matches with Fernandes, praising him for his consistency and efficiency on the pitch. He admitted that there was a slight mismatch because they could not get the perfect midfield combination at Manchester United and said:
“I love playing with Bruno. I came from injury, the team was winning and we didn’t you know we change the formation he was playing as a he was behind the striker it was 10. And Fred was playing and Scott was playing also a little bit we didn’t find the perfect match I think. But playing like with Bruno also yeah, killin’.”
Pogba played 78 matches alongside Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, during which the two combined for 11 goals, including one in the 6-2 drubbing of AS Roma in the Europa League semifinal.
Pogba puts Fernandes on Frank Lampard’s level
Pogba went on to state that Fernandes does not get the recognition he deserves. He said that Kevin de Bruyne, Luka Modric, and Mesut Ozil dominate midfield discussions among the current generation, while Fernandes is putting up numbers better than those of Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.
He told Ferdinand:
“For me as a midfielder, we talk about Kevin De Bruyne, we talk about Modric, talk about Ozil and stuff like that. Talk about stats. I think he came as a midfielder, he scored more than than Lampard as the same position 8-10. He gets more assist. He’s everywhere on the pitch. He has a volume. He keeps running. He’s smart. He can play two touch, one touch. He can shoot.”
“Football lovers will always respect Bruno Fernandes. That you like his style is different thing – if you like his style, the way he plays or not – this is different opinions. But football players, they will understand that this guy is he’s a top player.”
Bruno Fernandes has two UEFA Europa League runners-up medals to his tally, alongside the FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs, both under Erik ten Hag.
