Casemiro says Man United teammate ‘needs love’ after heartwarming sacrifice was made

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There can be no doubts about Casemiro’s leadership within the Manchester United squad.

It has been a mixed start to the season for Casemiro.

Back in September, Casemiro had a hall of shame performance against Liverpool and it seemed like his time at the club had swiftly and brutally come to an end.

However, Casemiro was superb under Ruud van Nistelrooy and proved that he still has a part to play, even if his minutes are reduced.

Casemiro struggled in Ruben Amorim’s debut against Ipswich Town last week and it seems the 3-4-3 system being implemented by the Portuguese may be slightly too physically demanding for the 32-year-old.

However, what fans don’t often see is the impact players can have behind the scenes and Casemiro is certainly one of the biggest leaders in United’s dressing room.

Casemiro gave his FA Cup medal to Tyrell Malacia

During their time together Real Madrid, Federico Valverde hailed Casemiro’s leadership and explained how much he helped the young players at the club.

Casemiro has the same impact at United. Last month, Tyrell Malacia revealed Casemiro gave him his FA Cup medal after the 2-1 win over Manchester City at Wembley.

Tyrell Malacia wasn’t eligible for a medal after missing out on the entirety of the FA Cup campaign due to his lengthy injury.

As United players went to collect their medals, Malacia recalls: “I was like, ‘I’m staying down here and you guys just enjoy it, then I’ll see you in the dressing room’. He [Casemiro] was like, ‘Nah, you’ll have to go up there as well’.”

It is a heartwarming sacrifice by Casemiro, who has now explained his side of the story.

As per The Mirror, Casemiro said: “I didn’t know Malacia had talked about it, but it’s true, I gave him my medal. He hadn’t played a single game that season, and he didn’t want to climb the steps.

“There was no medal for him, so I gave him mine. He’s part of the team and we’re counting on him. Even though he hasn’t played this season, we love him, we need him and he also needs love.”

Casemiro’s future at Man United

While he may be a big leadership figure in the dressing room, it is still difficult to see where Casemiro fits under Ruben Amorim.

Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo are expected to become the long-term midfield partnership in Amorim’s system which means Casemiro may struggle for game time.

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim responds to Marcus Rashford and Casemiro criticism after US trip

Ultimately, a more part-time role may actually suit Casemiro after he has showed signs of struggling to keep up with the intensity of the Premier League this season.

Casemiro was linked to Saudi Arabia over the summer but stayed put at Old Trafford. An exit in 2025 would not be a huge surprise given his contract is set to expire in 2026.