Bruno Fernandes has opened up about his traditional pre-matchday ritual, and it left Manchester United teammate Jesse Lingard understandably stunned.
Listen to this; the Portugal midfielder has said he has to drink a cappuccino at 11:30pm the night before a game. Otherwise, he simply won't sleep.
It's a strange routine - and his reason for doing it seems even more perverse. Does caffeine affect Fernandes differently to everyone else? It seems so.
Speaking to his Manchester United teammate Lingard in a video for the YouTube channel KFC UK and Ireland, Fernandes said: "The day before the game, I always have to eat something in my [hotel] room. So, we have dinner, then after dinner at 11pm or 11.30pm I have to have my cappuccino."
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Lingard looked very confused by Bruno's unusual beverage habits, checking he had really meant to say 11:30 at night. He had.
"If I take my cappuccino and I go straight to bed, I can sleep," said Fernandes. "If I drink the cappuccino and I wait, there is a problem!"
The former Sporting CP midfielder was then quizzed by Lingard as to whether he feels like a Mancunian yet. He has been at United since the January transfer window of 2020.
"Yeah, a little bit," he admitted. "I will be more [of a Mancunian] I hope [in the future]."
He then said: "I hope to be here, like you, for many years, and with you."
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That will please a lot of United fans, as Fernandes has been a talisman for the Red Devils almost ever since he signed for Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side. He has scored an incredible 44 goals and 31 assists in 92 appearances for the club so far. Clearly the coffee is working.
Lingard, meanwhile, enjoyed a career revival last season as a January loan move to West Ham saw him play the best football of his career and return to the England team for the first time since the Nations League Finals of June 2019 as a result.
Solskjær was so impressed by his displays with the Hammers and England that he decided to keep him at the club this year. Between them, Fernandes and Lingard have contributed six goals and seven assists in a combined 19 appearances for the Red Devils so far this term.
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Words by Dom Smith.
Topics: Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, Premier League, Jesse Lingard