Bruno Fernandes' Cheshire home burgled hours after Manchester United's 4-1 defeat to Como
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes had his Cheshire residence burgled on Wednesday evening while he was in Italy for his side's Champions League tie against Como, police said, with the break-in occurring at about 8.30pm BST shortly after United's 4-1 defeat.
Cheshire Police confirmed officers were called to a residential address following reports of suspicious activity involving three unknown men; when they arrived the suspects had gone but evidence of a burglary was found and several items were reported stolen. Manchester United said Fernandes and his family were not at the property and the club is supporting them while requesting privacy, and Detective Inspector Dave Jarvis said the investigation was in its early stages with enquiries continuing to identify those responsible.
Reports say a caller to police at approximately 8.30pm BST reported seeing three unidentified men in the rear garden of a neighbouring property; officers attended but found no trace of the men and later discovered that Fernandes' house had been broken into. According to the accounts cited by media, the intruders spent less than five minutes inside the house before leaving; there have been no confirmed arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.
On the field, Como defeated Manchester United 4-1 in the Champions League, with Nico Paz scoring twice and Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramon also on the scoresheet; Joshua Zirkzee netted a late consolation for United. The result came on the same evening as the burglary and compounded a difficult night for the Portuguese midfielder.
Fernandes started the match as captain and was substituted in the 67th minute; after the game he questioned United's tactical approach in comments to TNT Sports, criticising the decision not to press Como man-to-man and arguing that giving the opposition too much possession allowed them to grow in confidence. When asked whether manager Carrick and his staff had got their tactics wrong, Fernandes said that responsibility rested with the coaching team and called for greater courage in pressing high and making opponents uncomfortable.
United manager Carrick responded by stressing that tactics could only go so far if players failed to work hard, saying players had to run forward and track back regardless of the system being used. The exchange added to scrutiny after United suffered a second consecutive Champions League defeat; following the loss to Atletico Madrid, Lisandro Martinez had voiced frustration over the club's recruitment and singled out technical director Jason Wilcox, later apologising for the way he expressed his views.
The burglary investigation continues as Manchester United contend with questions over form and tactics ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash against Bournemouth, with the club providing support to Fernandes and his family while police pursue enquiries.
