Fernandes undaunted as Man Utd prepare for Galatasaray test
The Hindu
Fernandes relishing hostile Galatasaray atmosphere; United captain confident team can turn things around and reach knockout stages despite poor start to Champions League campaign.
Bruno Fernandes says he is relishing the prospect of playing in a hostile atmosphere at Galatasaray this week as Manchester United seek to keep their slim Champions League hopes alive.
Erik ten Hag's side appear unlikely to reach the knockout stages after defeats in three of their four Group A matches left them rooted at the bottom of the table.
The three-time European champions have lost away to Bayern Munich and Copenhagen and at home to Galatasaray, meaning another defeat in Istanbul on Wednesday would end their Champions League dreams with a match to spare.
But United captain Fernandes said the players were confident they could turn things around, with Wednesday's match at Galatasaray followed by a home game against already-qualified Bayern.
"We know that's going to be tough, it's going to be difficult but we have to think that we can do it because we have done it in the past in difficult situations," he said.
"We get through some difficult periods, so we just have to do it again."
United beat Everton 3-0 on Sunday for their fifth league victory in six games, leaving them sixth in the table despite a poor start to the season.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.