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London, May 14 (IANS): Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is very much like his Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo in the way that he can't talk to anyone when the team he is playing for loses, says his former Sporting CP teammate Luiz Phellype. Fernandes was brought to United in the January transfer window and took the Premier League by storm.
Since his 55 million Euro deal that sealed Fernandes' move from Lisbon-based Sporting CP to United, the 25-year-old has played a talismanic role in midfield for the struggling Old Trafford giants. The effect he has had on the team has drawn comparisons to Ronaldo, who also came to United from Sporting as a teenager and went on to win three successive Premier League titles and a Champions League before his record-breaking move to Real Madrid.
"He's by far the best I have ever played with. Outsiders only look at what he does at games, but the people who see him on a daily basis in training understand how good he is," Brazilian Phellype is quoted as saying by ESPN Brasil.
"Bruno is a guy who works hard and one of the last to leave the club and training. After the activities, he will train free-kicks, penalties and finishing. This reflects on the field.
"I like to spend about 20 minutes improving what I need. I'd go to the locker room, take my shower and get my things, but Bruno was still on the field. He stayed an hour after training every day. He deserves to be reaping everything he planted.
"Bruno is the guy who thinks better and risks a lot. Always passes forward. When he gets it right, an assist or a goal comes. He shoots very well and makes good assists, these are his best characteristics. He manages to set up the moves and then appears in the area to finish them.
"He's a modern player because he attacks very well and defends very well too. He runs a lot and is intense."
Phellype said that while Fernandes is calm off the field, he changes completely during matches.
"Sometimes he goes a little too far and screams here and screams there and fights with the referee. But it's not because he's a bad character, none of that. He's very competitive and cannot bear to lose.
"He is calm off the pitch and on the pitch he changes. He's like Cristiano Ronaldo when he loses, he can't talk to anyone," he said.