Following Manchester United’s 4-3 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, team captain Bruno Fernandes offered his assessment of winger Facundo Pellistri’s performance, emphasizing that the Uruguayan deserved his starting position.

Pellistri, making only his second start for Manchester United, faced a challenging match against Bayern Munich as the team suffered their third consecutive loss across all competitions. His previous start for the club occurred in a Europa League fixture against Real Betis back in March, where United held a 4-1 lead from the first-leg match in Manchester.

Recent calls from fans and pundits had been urging manager Erik ten Hag to grant Pellistri his first start of the season, especially due to the absence of Jadon Sancho and Antony, who were dealing with off-field issues. In Munich, the teenager was slotted into the right-wing position, forming an attacking trio alongside Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund.

Pellistri demonstrated his potential early in the game, coming close to opening the scoring for United within the first five minutes. However, Bayern’s left-back, Alphonso Davies, thwarted his attempt, preventing what could have been United’s first goal. While Pellistri showed glimpses of his talent, he faced challenges impacting the game to the same extent as when he’s been utilized as a substitute.

Despite this, Bruno Fernandes praised the teenager’s performance in his first significant start for the club and expressed his excitement for Pellistri’s development.

“Pellistri is one of the players that deserves his chance,” Fernandes said. “I’m excited for him. He should receive praise for all the hard work he’s put in for the team. He’s always available, trains diligently, and truly merits the opportunities he’s been given. We’re all delighted for him because he’s earned these chances and performed admirably today, executing the tasks assigned by the coaching staff.”