Bruno Fernandes gets ‘goosebumps’ over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United return after picking up latest award

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Manchester United and Portugal star Bruno Fernandes has recalled witnessing compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo's return to the club and getting goosebumps over the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's second debut for the club in 2021, when he scored twice against Newcastle United. Fernandes picked up the Premier League Player of the Month award for March, and matched Ronaldo's tally of six.

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Bruno Fernandes spoke about the spectacle of Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United in 2021, saying he had goosebumps when he saw his Portuguese team-mate back at Old Trafford.

Fernandes, who by winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for March matched Ronaldo's tally of six, spoke about witnessing his compatriot's return in an interview with the club.

Ronaldo returned to the club for the first time since leaving for Real Madrid in 2009, departing from Juventus to rejoin The Red Devils.

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He made his sensational second debut for United on September 11, 2021, scoring two goals in a 4-1 win over Newcastle United, a match in which Fernandes also netted.

"Cristiano is an easy one for me," said Fernandes told the club's official website when asked about players he looks up to. "He is Portuguese and everyone from 2000 – I was born in 1994 – from that age upwards, everyone was looking at him and seeing him.

"He won the Ballon d'Or with the club, which was something very special. All the fans here, when he came back, will never forget that day, when he comes back against Newcastle."

He continued: "It was an unforgettable day, he comes back, scores two goals and looks like he never left and everything.

"The atmosphere in the stadium was crazy that day, probably the best one I have experienced. Just the fact of Cristiano coming back, not the rest, but what was created around that, him getting into the pitch, the way he was presented, everything gives goosebumps still to me."

The 31-year-old had an impressive March for the club, scoring twice and producing four assists as United improved their hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification.

Michael Carrick's side are third in the table with seven games left to play, and are six points clear of Liverpool in fifth.

With his sixth Player of the Month award, Fernandes not only matched Ronaldo's record but now sits in elite Premier League company.

Only three players - Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah - have won the award more times than Fernandes.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Carrick

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Fernandes also spoke about other United legends that he admired, naming Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, and his current manager Carrick.

"Obviously, I think, at the club, for me, luckily the club had a lot of good midfielders to look up to," he explained.

"I think, from my time, probably I would say Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were the main pillars of the team.

"Then later on, I would say, not because he's my manager now, but I have said this before already, Michael Carrick is someone I would have loved to play together with. Just because I have trained with him, when he was with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] at the time.

"Sometimes, he would come to the pitch and train with us and his quality of pass between the lines, breaking the lines, is something unbelievable."

Fernandes will look forward to once again reuniting with Ronaldo for Portugal's World Cup campaign.

Roberto Martinez's side had to go through their recent warm-up matches against Mexico and the United States without him, but he returned to Al Nassr on Friday and marked it in style with two goals in win over Al Najma in the Saudi Pro League.

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