Fernandes left message for Sporting on return to Portugal during Man Utd break

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was back in Portugal to watch his former club Sporting CP before joining the Portugal squad for the World Cup play-offs, and left a message for the players of the Lisbon side.

Fernandes joined United from Sporting in January 2020, scoring 49 goals in just over two years with the Premier League side. However, with Ralf Rangnick's team enjoying an extended break before returning to domestic action on April 2, the midfielder was one of a number of players to travel south for the weekend.

The 27-year-old's international teammate Diogo Dalot also took in some Primeira Liga action, watching his own former club Porto away at Boavista. Fernandes, meanwhile, was in Guimaraes where his old employers came from behind to beat Vitoria.

As reported by Record (via Sport Witness) Fernandes paid a visit to the Sporting dressing room after the game. He was welcomed by Man Utd-linked manager Ruben Amorim, before leaving a good luck message to the players.

Sporting won the Primeira Liga last season, finishing five points clear of Porto. However, after a bad-tempered draw at the Dragao in February, they remain six points adrift of their rivals with just seven games of the season remaining.

Their win at Vitoria was their third on the spin, however. Pablo Sarabia levelled things up from the penalty spot after Oscar Estupinan's opener, before second-half goals from Paulinho and former Vitoria man Marcus Edwards made the points safe.

Manager Amorim, who played for Portugal at the 2014 World Cup, brought Sporting their first league title since 2002. The success saw him linked with Manchester United before the Premier League side appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, but ultimately stayed in Lisbon to help his team reach the last 16 of this season's Champions League.

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Fernandes is one of three United players in Portugal's squad for a huge week in their hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. Dalot and Cristiano Ronaldo have also travelled for the game against Turkey in Porto, with the winner taking on either Italy or North Macedonia for a place in Qatar.

Fernando Santos' squad missed out on automatic qualification for the tournament when they lost to Serbia in their final group game, and are without several key men for the Turkey tie. Joao Cancelo and Renato Sanches are suspended, Pepe has tested positive for Covid-19, and Ruben Neves has joined Ruben Dias and Nelson Semedo on the treatment table.

The match against Turkey is due to take place on Thursday, the same day that Italy go head to head with North Macedonia in Palermo. The winners of the two ties will then face off in a one-off game for a spot at the World Cup.