Bruno Fernandes could miss Portugal's upcoming match against Norway in the UEFA Nations League.
Jorge Jesus, the head coach, disclosed that Fernandes is dealing with ongoing injury issues, having performed for Manchester United despite the setback in his recent matches.
Fernandes misses training
Fernandes was in the starting lineup for Portugal's recent 1-0 victory over Wales but was substituted for Joao Neves in the dying moments of the game.
News following the match suggested that the injury was more serious than initially thought, as Fernandes did not participate in Portugal's final training session before their trip to Oslo.
Jesus described the situation with Fernandes as a "complex problem".
“In the Wales match, we fielded all our available players, but Bruno Fernandes left the pitch with a difficult issue,” he stated.
Player playing through pain
The Portuguese manager also mentioned that Fernandes had been taking to the field with discomfort in previous matches.
“The case of Fernandes is about treatment and recovery time. He arrived with an injury from United and told me he played the last three matches with pain that has been bothering him,” Jesus added.
According to Jesus, this health concern likely impacted the midfielder's performance against Wales.
“It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from showcasing his best football against Wales,” he remarked.
Jesus opting for caution
The Portuguese coach made it clear that he would prefer to rest his captain for the time being to ensure he’s fit for the next match.
“I’ve already spoken with him and prefer not to risk him in this game, so he is fully ready for the match against Denmark,” he said.
Portugal is set to take on Norway in Oslo this Sunday, followed by a fixture against Denmark next Thursday.
