Bruno Fernandes Reflects on Penalty Decision in Win Against Roma

Bruno Fernandes shared his thoughts on the penalties taken during Manchester United's 3-2 victory over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League match on November 3, 2026. After the match, he stated, "I was lucky honestly, but the second time I made a decision."

Roma started strongly at Old Trafford, establishing a 2-0 lead within the first 18 minutes thanks to goals from Matias Soulé and a Donyell Malen penalty. United found a chance to respond when they were awarded a penalty; however, Fernandes' initial attempt was saved by Roma goalkeeper Devis Vasquez. As Bryan Cristante approached to clear the rebound, the VAR review indicated that a retake was necessary. On the second attempt, Fernandes successfully converted, marking the beginning of Manchester United's comeback, culminating in a 3-2 win.

Fernandes explained the mental challenge of taking a penalty, emphasizing the solitary nature of the moment where it is just the player against the goalkeeper. "I knew it was a big responsibility, it could’ve changed the game and we really needed a goal to get the crowd behind us at that moment," he told Sky Sport Italia. He acknowledged that he benefited from Cristante's early encroachment, allowing him to retry the penalty. "The second time, I decided to pick a spot and hit it as hard as I could without trying to second-guess where the goalkeeper was going."

This victory was crucial for United, who were experiencing a challenging period, having not secured a win since September 10. Fernandes highlighted the importance of this win, stating, "We aim to do one thing and we do another, we concede goals at the start of games, it is a truly difficult moment, but we must try to get ourselves out of it." He expressed hope that the win would help restore confidence in the team, mentioning that they have quality players and had added good talent over the summer. "These are the same players as before, we have added some good quality over the summer, and we need to keep going."