Bruno Fernandes threw his support behind Andre Onana and told the devastated Manchester United goalkeeper to stop blaming himself for the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.
Having been beaten in three of their first five matches for the first time in the Premier League era, the Red Devils’ return to European football’s top table ended in a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night. Erik ten Hag’s men started the Group A opener surprisingly well at the Allianz Arena, only for summer signing Onana to somehow let a low Leroy Sane shot squirm home.
The 27-year-old buried his head in the turf and was consoled by team-mates, later saying he “let the team down” and that United “didn’t win today, it’s because of me”.
“It’s not about Andre,” United skipper Fernandes said. “Andre is a great goalkeeper.
“He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing.
“We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.”
Onana’s gaffe was swiftly followed by a Serge Gnabry strike, with Harry Kane then scoring a penalty straight after Rasmus Hojlund had pulled one back early in the second half.
The match came to a hectic conclusion, with Casemiro scoring either side of Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time strike as United showed spirit but ultimately lost for a fourth time in five matches.
“I think what everyone has to do is to do their own job and look at themselves first,” Fernandes said in the bowels of the Allianz Arena.
“That’s what I do as a player, not as a captain – as a person and first point.
“I think everyone does that and I think today it wasn’t the case that not everyone was doing the best for the team or trying to fight for getting the result. I think everyone did that.
“It’s just the momentum and against big teams, as I said, when you give a lot of chances to them, they’re going to hurt you.
“Even then they give us some chances and we scored three goals, so I think no-one would expect us to come into Bayern and score three goals.
“I don’t think anyone outside of us would expect us to fight for the result in trying to get something from the game.
“But I think the team did. Obviously it wasn’t enough but we’re not playing against some bad team.
“We were playing one of the best teams in the world, with great players, with great qualities.
“Obviously it’s not the best moment for us but we will get through this and we will get the results back.”
United stayed in Germany following the Group A opener and are training before flying back as preparations step up for Saturday evening’s key trip to Burnley.
Ten Hag will be hoping to have more options to choose from at Turf Moor, having headed to Bayern without nine injured players.
“Obviously, we want to have everyone back because we know that as many players we have available, the team will be stronger,” Fernandes said. “And obviously more options for the manager to do his choices and whatever his tactics, the first 11 or whatever he picks.
“But obviously, still, we have the players and we have enough experience and enough talent in the team to get through this moment even with all the players.
“Obviously now I think some of them probably will come back earlier and will lift the team because we have quality players injured.
“But it’s about the ones that are now playing, giving something to get the result and that’s it.
“We can’t rely now on the injuries and everything.
“We know it’s tough and you need to get through that because you can’t control (it).
“But I think the team has players (good) enough to get a response.”
Jack Grealish believes he should have been in England's Euro 2024 squad
Jack Grealish thinks that he should have been part of England's Euro 2024 squad.
Grealish was initially called up for the Three Lions' 33-man training squad, but was one of seven players who did not make the final squad for Germany.
England reached the final, losing 2-1 to Spain.
The 29-year-old has been back in the fold under interim manager Lee Carsley, and impressed in September's Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
"I will be honest with you, I didn’t really agree with it," Grealish told BBC Radio 5 Live of Gareth Southgate's decision not to include him among the final 26 players.
"You need a bit of a balance in every position on the pitch and I class myself [as] quite an experienced player now.
"I have won a lot of stuff now so, you asked me should I have gone, yes, I still think I should have, but obviously it wasn't meant to be."
Grealish started just 10 league matches for Manchester City in the 2023-24 season, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
While he admitted that he "didn’t have the best season" domestically, he was left "devastated" by his omission and said that missing out on Euro 2024 was "probably the most difficult period of my life".
Grealish scored in England's 2-0 victory over Ireland in Dublin last month, and will be hoping for more of the same against Greece and Finland in the coming week.
Asked if he felt he had a point to prove, Grealish made it clear that he wanted to show people what England were missing at Euro 2024.
"Of course, I wanted to come here and train well and play well," he said.
"I thank Lee Carsley for giving me that chance and having that trust in me.
"It obviously really meant a lot. I think throughout my career when I have played under managers who have shown trust in me and communicated with me the way he has the last two camps, it really helps me.
"It makes me feel that the manager really does rate me and I can't speak highly enough of him since I have been here."
Chelsea edge Real Madrid in Women's Champions League thriller
Chelsea kicked off their 2024-25 Women's Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory at home to Real Madrid in Group B.
The victory puts the Blues in second in their group after one match, while it was a perfect start for manager Sonia Bompastor, who was taking charge of her first Champions League game for the club.
Bompastor led Lyon to the Champions League final in two of the last three seasons, winning it in 2021-22. She will be hoping to do the same in west London this season and things got off to the perfect start for her and Chelsea in this game.
Sjoeke Nusken's second-minute goal put the home side ahead - unsurprisingly, that is the quickest goal in the Champions League this season.
In miserable weather at Stamford Bridge, things got even better for the hosts after they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Nusken. Guro Reiten made it 2-0 from the spot in the 28th minute, with Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez unable to get a hand to it despite diving the right way.
But Madrid were back in it 11 minutes later, with Alba Redondo finishing tidily through Zecira Musovic's legs - her second Champions League goal in as many matches.
They were unable to make the most of that lifeline, with Chelsea restoring their two-goal advantage soon after the break. Mayra Ramirez scored her first goal of the season, heading in Lauren James' cross seven minutes after the restart.
The drama was not finished though. Substitute Linda Caicedo once again cut the deficit for the visitors, making it a nervy final seven minutes for Chelsea, but the home side held on to claim a valuable three points.
Chelsea have now lost just one of their last 19 group stage matches (W13 D5) and are unbeaten across their last 13 (W10 D3); the only other team to have participated in every group stage since they were introduced in 2021 and lost just once is Barcelona (W16 D1).
Elsewhere in Group B, Celtic were beaten 2-0 by FC Twente in their opener, which marked their first-ever game in the Champions League.
Kayleigh van Dooren netted twice for the Dutch side, although the Scottish champions held out until the 44th minute before conceding.
In truth, they were second-best with the visitors dominating possession, having over 70% of the ball, and taking double the shots on target of their hosts (six to three). Twente got a second five minutes from time and go top of the group.
Palmer named England's Men's Player of the Year
Cole Palmer has been named England's Men's Player of the Year for 2023-24.
Chelsea star Palmer came off the bench to score in the Euro 2024 final, although England ultimately lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin.
Palmer has only nine caps to his name, and just two starts for the Three Lions, but he finished ahead of Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka in the public vote.
The 22-year-old made his debut in a 2-0 win over Malta in November of last year, and has scored two international goals, including that strike against Spain in July.
Palmer is the first Chelsea player to scoop the award since Ashley Cole in 2010.
Since he joined Chelsea from Manchester City last season, Palmer has directly contributed to 44 league goals (28 goals, 16 assists).
Of players to feature in Europe's top five leagues, his England team-mate Harry Kane has provided more goal contributions (53 - 41 goals, 12 assists) in that time.
Earlier this season, Palmer became the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match when he scored all of Chelsea's goals in a 4-2 win over Brighton.
Palmer is expected to feature when England take on Greece in the Nations League on Thursday.
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