Exclusive: Man United captain Fernandes faces ‘sanctions’ after new rule change
Man United captain Bruno Fernandes is at serious risk as the Premier League consider a new technological addition for referees, according to Keith Hackett.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the talented midfielder’s emotions could get the better of him should the Premier League introduce ref cams.
With 19 goals and 18 assists in 57 appearances last season, the 30-year-old was a rare shining light at Old Trafford, with Fernandes then being linked with a Saudi Pro League switch due to his talents.
He is often the Red Devils’ main source of goals, whether he is scoring or assisting, and has become a loud voice in the dressing room, hence Ruben Amorim‘s decision to give him the armband.
Premier League to introduce referee body cams
With the Premier League now introducing the rule that only captains can speak to referees during a game, alarm bells have begun ringing around Fernandes’ maturity on the pitch.
The playmaker has picked up 12 yellow cards across the last two league campaigns, some of them being awarded for dissent to the referee, and his outbursts could now be spotted retrospectively.
Having trialled ref cams at the Club World Cup, the Premier League are now keen to introduce the technology ahead of next season, with talks taking place with IFAB [The Guardian].
Man United, Everton, Bournemouth, and West Ham’s matches at the Summer Series tournament later this month will have the technology mounted on referees, and Fernandes will need to be careful with his wording.
Man United star Bruno Fernandes needs to calm down
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “The complication at Premier League level is that only the captains can speak to the referee. This will be an interesting aspect when other players decide they want to get involved.
“There are players who are volatile. [Bruno] Fernandes wears his heart on his sleeve, often getting dejected and disappointed when a decision goes against his team.
“He wants to seek out the referee. It leaves the captain open to sanctions based on persistently infringing the laws of the game. It is a mature level of referees at Premier League level to handle it, but we’ll see.”
United kick off their Premier League Summer Series against West Ham on Sunday, 27 July, before facing Bournemouth, Everton, and Fiorentina before the 2025/26 campaign kicks off.