Bruno Fernandes has been underperforming for the Red Devils this season and this can be attributed to the many appearances he has had so far.
The loss to the Turkish side has compiled more pressure on Erik ten Hag who has overseen United’s worst start of a new season.
The Portuguese midfielder now has an excuse for his poor performance after it turned out that he has played more games than any other player in Europe.
The record shows that United skipper Bruno Fernandes plays one match every five days over a full year, a massive workload.
This also see Bruno Fernandes top the list of players with most time played, after he clocked 6,666 minutes over the period.
Fans took to social media to sympathize with the captain after the exhausting stats were revealed by the International players’ Union FifPro.
A fan said: “He needs a rest,” while another added: “Man, I feel so sorry for him.”
Another fan also added: “So sad”. While another added: “Bruno is a machine but he’s too overworked!”
Another fan also sympathized with Bruno Fernandes online, saying: “My god we’re overworking him, give the man some rest.”
Owing to the tiredness by Bruno Fernandes, another fan who showed concern for the former Sporting Lisbon ace, said: “It must have an impact on his body short term and long term. “He’s at risk of developing a serious injury soon.”
While other fans sympathize with the player amid the physical toll on his body, one fans believes it is quite impossible for the player to rest.
The fan stating his reason said: “Can’t be benched.. he’s absolutely the best player in that position both country and club.”
Aside Fernandes, another player that has faced fatigue issues is 25-year-old Marcus Rashford, with the United forward in the top 15 for total games played in the last 12 months.
While his Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes tops the list of most minutes and appearances made, Rashford sits in joint seventh with 67 matches to his name.
United’s Bruno Fernandes and Rashford are not the only Manchester players on the list as it shows training regime across the City.
United rivals Manchester City also have in the most-played list, with Rodri (currently suspended) joint-third with 68 games.
City ace Bernardo Silva is also one game behind and level with Rashford while defender Manuel Akanji has featured 66 times alongside Julian Alvarez.
FifPro President David Aganzo said: “The intense workload remains one of the most important problems for players participating in high-level competitions.”
“As the schedule continues to expand, there simply aren’t enough safeguards to protect players’ well-being, performance and career longevity.”
Top 10 stars with most appearances in 12 months
| Player | Team | Appearances |
| Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | 72 |
| Rodrygo | Real Madrid | 68 |
| Rodri | Manchester City | 68 |
| Laurato Martinez | Inter Milan | 68 |
| Luka Modric | Real Madrid | 68 |
| Eduardo Camavinga | Real Madrid | 68 |
| Bernardo Silva | Manchester City | 67 |
| Gustavo Gomez | Palmeiras | 67 |
| Marcus Rashford | Manchester United | 67 |
| Nicolo Barella | Inter Milan | 66 |
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes is a Portuguese footballer who was born on 8 September, 1994 and plays for Manchester United, whom he captains, and the Portugal national team.
Fernandes was born in Maia, Porto. He started his career at Italian Serie B side Novara but soon made a move to Serie A side Udinese in 2013, followed by Sampdoria three years later.
The Portuguese signed with Manchester United for an initial €55 million (£47 million) in January 2020, becoming at the time, the second-highest fee for a Portuguese player leaving the domestic league. In July 2023, he was named as club captain.
