Bruno Fernandes has been ruled out of Portugal’s Nations League clash with Norway after picking up an injury during the win over Wales, head coach Jorge Jesus confirmed. The Manchester United captain played almost the full match against Wales but won’t be risked on Sunday as Portugal manages his recovery.
Jesus revealed that Fernandes has actually been carrying pain for several matches now, an issue that traces back to a knock he suffered at United. “The Fernandes case involves treatment and recovery time. He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him,” Jesus said.
The coach also acknowledged that Fernandes wasn’t at his best against Wales because of the issue, which factored into the decision to hold him out rather than risk making things worse. “I prefer not to risk it in this game so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match,” Jesus said, pointing to Portugal’s next fixture as the target for his return.
Fernandes isn’t expected to be sidelined for Manchester United unless the problem worsens, and Jesus’s comments suggest the plan is simply to manage his workload through this international window rather than treat it as a long-term concern.
Portugal’s remaining fixtures as Jesus eyes Fernandes’ return
Portugal‘s next assignment comes just days later against Denmark on October 1, the match Jesus has explicitly targeted for Fernandes’ return to the lineup, before a quick turnaround to face Norway again on October 4 to close out this international window.
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How the captain responds to treatment over the coming days will determine whether that timeline holds, with the coach clearly prioritizing having him fully fit for the Denmark game over risking him on Sunday.
Manchester United, meanwhile, won’t see Fernandes back in action until the club’s next fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on October 10, meaning the club will be monitoring his recovery from afar throughout this entire international window.
Given how central Fernandes is to both club and country, any setback during Portugal’s remaining matches would carry direct consequences for United as they prepare for that Premier League clash.
