As a player Erik ten Hag sold for just £5 million caught the eye in the Champions League, the Manchester United boss must have wondered what he has to do to catch a break.
With the Dutchman already fighting for his job – some Manchester United players reportedly believe Erik ten Hag is a dead man walking ahead of tough away trips to FC Porto and Aston Villa – the last thing he needed was further questions over his talent ID.
But as Manchester United travel to Portugal without a single senior left-back fit and available, the manner in which Alvaro Fernandez Carreras ripped though Atletico Madrid on a famous night for Benfica felt like insult added to injury.
When explaining his loan move to Granada in the summer of 2023, Fernandez explained that Ten Hag simply ‘didn’t count on me’ to play an important role at the Premier League giants.
A year on, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia unavailable and Harry Amass not yet ready to represent Man United at senior level, the eventual £5 million sale of Fernandez to Benfica can hardly be viewed in a particularly flattering light.
Especially after Fernandez produced an outstanding performance during Benfica’s 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
- READ MORE: Champions League/Europa League 24/25: What is the new format? Will it affect Manchester United?
Erik ten Hag not alone in doubting ex-Manchester United starlet Alvaro Fernandez
Ten Hag is not the only manager who’s lack of faith in the one-time Preston North End loanee
Alvaro Fernandez, or Alvaro Carreras as he is more commonly known in Iberia, found himself in and out of Roger Schmidt’s Benfica XI during his first eight months in Portugal.
Benfica even signed fellow left-sider Jan-Niklas Beste in an £8.5 million deal from Hoffenheim to potentially take Fernandez’s place.
But the departure of Schmidt, and the subsequent arrival of former Wolves boss Bruno Lage, has seen the Spain Under 21 international rapidly blossom into one of Benfica’s most important, and in-form, players.
And, according to former Benfica general director Antonio Carreca, Fernandez’s scintillating displays under Lage do not reflect well on his predecessor.
Fernandez’s stunning stats as Benfica crush Atletico Madrid
“Only Mr Schmidt can answer [why he did not get more out of Fernandez],” Carraca tells reporters.
“When a coach has doubts about a certain player, does not have sufficient conviction that he will necessarily have to bet on him, things become complicated and difficult.
“From the moment a coach starts to have a lot of doubts, he is closer to making mistakes. And that’s what happened.
“I like the profile [Alvaro] offers. It was a profile that Benfica should have. Benfica needs to have two full-backs like [right-back Alexander] Bah and Carreras.
“Carreras’ individual performance has gradually improved as a result of the regularity of the competition. This Carreras, I always said that he was the type of left-back that Benfica needed to have.”
In a remarkably well-rounded performance, Benfica flyer Fernandez won 100 per cent of his duels, completed every one of his attempted dribbles, and provided six key passes into the final third as Diego Simeone’s Atletico were put to the sword at the Estadio da Luz.
Fernandez’s performance did not go down too well with the Man United supporters, either. Understandably so, given that Diogo Dalot is likely to fill in again on the left when the Red Devils face Porto.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
