- Athletic Bilbao suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat by Man United at San Mames
- LaLiga side were outraged by the awarding of the penalty for United’s second
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Ian Ladyman reveals his pick for best goalkeeper this season – and it’s NOT Alisson Becker
Bruno Fernandes brutally clapped back at a reporter who objected to a controversial refereeing decision during Manchester United’s Europa League win over Athletic Bilbao.
The Red Devils skipper dipped into his third spoken language to explain the rules of the game to the Spanish journalist after it had been put to him that Dani Vivian should not have been shown a red card in United’s 3-0 win.
After a lengthy VAR review the defender was adjudged to have impeded Rasmus Hojlund in the area which resulted in a spot-kick. Vivian was then given his marching orders by referee Espen Eskas as he failed to make an attempt for the ball.
This point appeared to be lost on the reporter when questioning Fernandes, who had no issue setting the record straight.
‘Why wasn’t it a red card? Do you know the rules?’ The Portuguese said. ‘If he tries to tackle with his feet it’s a yellow card. If he pushes him or does it with his hands, it has to be a red card.’
Fernandes, who converted the 37th-minute penalty before adding a second eight minutes later, stuck the knife in further after he was pushed for comment on the contentious incident in the build up to the spot-kick.
Bruno Fernandes clearly laid out why the decision to show a red card was correct
Bilbao defender Dani Vivian was adjudged to have impeded Rasmus Hojlund in the penalty area
Bilbao players were outraged that Alejandro Garnacho had not been pulled up for a handball in the lead up to Vivian’s foul.
Manager Ernesto Valverde said post match: ‘We protested a handball by Garnacho. I think the ball hit his hand… but the referee decided it was a penalty and a red card [for Vivian].
Striker Inaki Williams added: ‘There are some plays that raise doubts. The play before the penalty comes from a handball by Garnacho, which the referee doesn’t see.’
Fernandes insisted that he did not see the incident and pointed to a decision United believed should have gone their way before dismissing the claims aside as little more than the chatter that accompanies post-match analysis in Spain and Portugal.
‘I didn’t see it but I think there was also a penalty on Garnacho,’ he added. ‘Talking about the referee here, I think it’s a custom in Spain and Portugal, but I’m in England and my mind has changed a long time ago and I’m not going to do it.
‘The referees are like us, they make mistakes but I don’t think he made a mistake today.’
The comment appeared to upset at least two of the hosts back in the studio.
The pre-match fever of a San Mames crowd hopeful of seeing their team return for the final of the Europa League later this month was dispelled within 45 minutes as the Red Devils hit three goals without reply.
The Spaniard was then shown a red card by referee Espen Eskas as he did not make an attempt to win the ball
United take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg at Old Trafford and will expect to return to San Mames for the final later this month
Much-maligned veteran midfielder Casemiro headed home the opener before two efforts from Fernandes put the Premier League side in a commanding position ahead of next week’s second leg.
‘Nobody expected this result but it’s not done,’ said Amorim. ‘The same result can happen at Old Trafford, and we need to be prepared.
‘There is no away goals (rule) so anything can change and that is my message to the players.
‘I think they have to think about the second leg, and they have to think more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game. We struggled a lot at the start but the goal and red card changed the game.’
