Benfica had a bit of a Champions League nightmare on Wednesday, losing 3-1 to Feyenoord. The loss was made even worse because it happened at home, with Benfica struggling in front of their fans at the Estádio da Luz.
Álvaro Fernández Carreras didn’t have his best match. The left-back was rated just 5/10 by O Jogo, with the Portuguese newspaper suggesting the rise in level from domestic football didn’t help: ‘He was more exposed at a defensive level and was noticed, losing many of the duels at speed. A bit hasty in his passing, he didn’t have the impact of other games.’
Moving from Manchester United to Benfica in the January 2024 transfer market, the 21-year-old’s transfer was made permanent for around €6m in the summer.
Carreras has had some decent performances since the summer, having struggled a bit in the second half of last season, and that’s seen claims rise about a return to Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag has been asked about the situation over the past week and the manager confirmed the Red Devils are monitoring the Spaniard’s progress. That would go without saying really, given they have a scout at nearly every Benfica match.
Manchester United have a clause which allows them to take Carreras back for €20m, and the player has now been asked about rumours he could be heading back to Old Trafford.
Record quote him as saying: “I only think about Benfica. I’m only focused here. I’ll try to keep up the same level, try to help the team as much as possible. I’m just another player on the team.
“Not scoring, that’s really important to win. We had everything well planned. We weren’t surprised by Feyenoord. We knew how they played, quick counter-attacks, but like I said, let’s think about the future, the next game, which is on Sunday.”
