Bruno Fernandes has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo is “changing again” and he has highlighted one key feature in the Manchester United and Portugal legend.
Cristiano Ronaldo shared the pitch with Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford after the former Manchester United superstar left Juventus and made his sensational return.
The 40-year-old Portuguese forward, who was re-signed by United in 2021, had a stunning first campaign back at the Red Devils in the 2021-22 season.
Ronaldo scored an impressive 24 times in 38 matches for United in the first season of his second spell before his Red Devils run took an interesting turn for the worse.
The United legend fell down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag before Ronaldo launched a scathing assessment of the Dutchman in an interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo left Old Trafford in 2022 after his contract was terminated by mutual agreement before he made a high-profile move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
Despite signing for Al Nassr in 2023, Ronaldo has continued to share the pitch with former United teammate Fernandes on the international stage with Portugal.
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Photo by Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Photo by Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Eagle-eyed Bruno Fernandes makes assessment of Man Utd and Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has linked up with Al Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo during the March international break for the Portugal team.
Speaking to Inside United, the 30-year-old United and Portugal midfielder opened up about what he has noticed from Ronaldo during penalties.
Fernandes is United’s designated spot-kick taker, but Ronaldo is the first to step up for a penalty when the referee points to the spot for Roberto Martinez’s men.
According to the United skipper, Ronaldo has made a clear change from the penalty technique in his missed spot-kick effort in the 2008 Champions League final.
“Even Cristiano, if you see him now is different now from the past,” he said, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“If I see the penalty from Cristiano against Chelsea in the final of the Champions League [in 2008] and the ones that he takes after that, he is changing his way of kicking and now he’s changing again.
“So you are always having to adapt yourself to the game because things change quickly. People get to know you better and better and better.
“And then you sometimes need to do something different. And we’re talking about one of the best penalty-takers in the world.”
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Man Utd and Portugal star Bruno Fernandes drops the ultimate compliment on Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo turned 40 in February and the United legend has continued to play for Portugal on the international stage, despite being at the tail end of his career.
The former Juventus and Real Madrid superstar is tipped to represent Portugal at the 2026 World Cup in North America before he bows out of international duty.
Fernandes insisted that Ronaldo remains “one of the best penalty-takers in the world” and called his Portugal teammate “decisive” from the spot-kick.
“If you probably ask anyone in the world, who will you choose to take your penalty at the 90th minute and to save your life, or whatever, most of the people would say Cristiano,” he continued.
“Because they know, in that kind of moment, he is decisive. And it works. So, even if Cristiano, that is one of the best penalty-takers in the world, is changing, why shouldn’t I?
“Why shouldn’t I improve myself and try to do different things?”
Roberto Martinez’s side are in action on Thursday evening for the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final tie against Denmark at the Parken.