There is no credible or verifiable evidence to support the claim that Bruno Fernandes broke down in tears or expressed deep emotional distress over the absence of Lisandro Martínez and Noussair Mazraoui ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Arsenal.
While the story about Fernandes’ reaction has circulated online, it appears to be an exaggerated or fabricated version of events, as no reputable sports news outlet or official club statement corroborates such remarks.
What has been confirmed by reliable sources:
Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has officially confirmed that Lisandro Martínez and Noussair Mazraoui will both be unavailable for the club’s season opener against Arsenal. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Amorim stated:
“No, Licha [Lisandro Martínez] and Mazraoui are out, they cannot play this game. Josh [Zirkzee] and Andre [Onana] are recovering and are options. We’ll see.”
This makes the absence of Martínez and Mazraoui a significant defensive blow for United, especially given the importance of their roles in the squad. Martínez is still recovering from a long-term knee injury, while Mazraoui is sidelined with a hamstring strain.
However, Amorim provided a glimmer of positive news, revealing that both Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana could be fit enough to feature, and that new signing Benjamin Šeško is fully ready from a physical standpoint, even if it remains undecided whether he will start.
Aside from these injury concerns, United’s squad is relatively fit. The team faces a challenging start to the season, with matches against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea all scheduled before October.
Despite these difficulties, Amorim expressed cautious optimism about the team’s direction, stating:
“We cannot change everything in four weeks, but we are better. We are training harder and are more prepared to cope with the demands of the game. I’m really more confident… step by step, we will be a better team.”
He further emphasised that the primary goal for the season is to secure a return to European competition, but acknowledged the challenge due to other teams having more stability and time together.
Amorim also stressed the importance of focusing on one game at a time, starting with Arsenal.
What is not substantiated:
Any instance of Bruno Fernandes crying or making an emotional public statement about the absence of Martínez and Mazraoui.
The specific quote attributed to him saying “losing our two most important players… makes me shed tears.”
Any mention of such remarks appearing in reputable sports journalism outlets.
