Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes is eyeing up another seven goals for Manchester United this season to reach the target he set himself at the beginning of the campaign. A double in the 6-2 thrashing against Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final took Fernandes to 26 for the season but he needs to pass 32 to satisfy his own personal ambitions. Fernandes ended a run of just one goal in his last 10 games with his two against Roma and he also claimed two assists, taking his total to 16 for the season, within four of another personal ambition.
Bruno Fernandes said: “I scored 32 at Sporting so I expect to pass that mark, my target every time is to get better, my target is to win trophies but for myself my target is to improve every season. I think if I score 32 goals in one season I can do better. I know it’s a big number but why not, if you dream about that and fight for that you can do it, so I will keep trying to be better and better and also give more assists, my best season for assists was 20 and I have to reach that level again.”
Fernandes was part of a deadly attacking trio against Roma with Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba. Cavani also scored twice and registered two assists, while Pogba was on the scoresheet and was in brilliant form. While Fernandes enjoyed the confidence they showed in dismantling Roma, he insists it is easy to show up in those big games, but praised his teammates for performing throughout the campaign.
Bruno Fernandes said: “It was a delight to play [with them], but the big players perform all season and not in the big games. It’s easy when we score against the big teams like Roma, but for me big players perform all season. We’re doing really well, we’re growing as a team and that’s the most important. You talk about really good players, but if you don’t have the players that work hard [it doesn’t matter], we work hard upfront to recover the ball and that is really important.”
Having taken control of the tie at Old Trafford, Fernandes knows United have to show the same application in Rome to make sure there is no comeback.
Bruno Fernandes added: “Everyone knows if football anything can happen, if we don’t go with the focus and mentality to win the game then we won’t go through. We have to go there with the same mentality as today, try and win the game and go to the final with another victory.”
