Bruno Fernandes has committed “sacrilege” by publicly questioning the tactics of manager Michael Carrick following a 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday. The Serie A side secured the victory in the Champions League through goals from Nico Paz, who scored twice, along with strikes from Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramón under coach Cesc Fabregas.
Post-Match Criticism and Tactical Disagreement
Following Lisandro Martinez’s recent remarks criticizing technical director Jason Wilcox’s work in the transfer market, club captain Fernandes delivered a critical post-match assessment regarding the team’s setup. Fernandes stated that the coaching staff decided against a man-to-man press, which left space behind and allowed the opponents to gain confidence.
When asked directly if he believed Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes said, “That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable. As you saw with them [Como], the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable to.” He added that a side playing through the middle with short connections can cause damage out wide if given too much time and space.
After labeling his team’s performance unacceptable in his post-match interview, Carrick informed reporters in his press conference that Fernandes’ remarks were inaccurate, while also criticizing his players for not running.
Cole Slams Fernandes’ Insoluble Conduct
Speaking on TNT Sports, Joe Cole described Fernandes’ comments as “simply unacceptable.” Cole said, “He’s absolutely questioning the tactics. It doesn’t matter if he’s right to do so – that’s sacrilege.” He noted that players might disagree with managers privately, but a club captain should not air those grievances publicly.
Cole criticized the manner of the remarks, suggesting Fernandes should have had a direct man-to-man conversation in the manager’s office rather than speaking out in front of the nation. He added that such an incident would never have occurred during the tenure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
