Bruno's United ambition hasn't changed

Bruno Fernandes is always a fascinating interviewee, but that line jumped out when we revisited our chat with him from January 2022.

The Portuguese magnifico, as he’s fondly referred to by the Reds faithful, had made perhaps as sensational an individual impact as any United player this century in the 24 months since signing from Sporting. 

He'd scooped Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards in each of the years he’d been eligible for, after helping the club to consecutive top-four finishes in the Premier League.

We’d recovered from a poor first half of the campaign in 2019/20 to end up third, largely due to the stellar contribution of Fernandes, improving on that by recording a second-place finish the follow season.

Bruno’s goal-and-assist stats were up there with England’s – and even Europe’s – very best and he’d even worn the captain’s armband on a couple of occasions, including during a memorable 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.

That success in the French capital was unfortunately played out behind closed doors but, despite the Covid pandemic casting a shadow over much of his first two terms at the club, Fernandes had plenty of standout moments to look back on.

But our no.18 – as he was then, prior to switching to his current no.8 shirt – was still hungry for more and by that he meant silverware.

Success in the Europa League had been cruelly denied us by Villarreal, after a marathon penalty shootout, while we'd also experienced heartbreak in the semi-finals of all three cup competitions in 2020.

Twelve months on and, after the collective blip of last season, Fernandes is back on top of his game and looking to finally add that first trophy at United to his CV.

We caught up with the 28-year-old earlier this month, prior to the Carabao Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest.

Fernandes scored the third goal in a convincing 3-0 first-leg victory over Steve Cooper’s side – his 100th goal involvement in a United shirt – meaning we now stand on the brink of a first Wembley final since 2018.

And, while there is still plenty of work to do to achieve it, Bruno’s ambition of lifting cups at United still drives him, as he celebrates his three-year signing anniversary...

“I still feel like my main goal is to still win trophies,” he told us recently at Carrington. “I think the aim for this club has always been to win trophies and we can’t hide that.

“You have to think game-by-game and think that the next one is more important. The aim, the global aim for the club is always winning trophies and it means alot for the club, for the fans and the players because no player comes to Man United thinking that the main goal is not winning trophies.

“They know what this club is about and they know what the feeling is to play for this club. Everyone outside of the club, players from everywhere they want and they would love to play for this club because they know they will be closer to achieving big things.

“That was my main goal when I came to the club, it still is my main goal and even when I get my first, second and third that will always be my main goal - winning trophies for this club.

“This is what football is about and playing for this club.”

United continue to fight on all four fronts this season, with Saturday's 3-1 win over Reading securing a berth in the Emirates FA Cup fifth round.

We also have a Europa League play-off tie to look forward to next month, as we take on Catalan giants Barcelona over two legs.