Ahmed Barusso, former AS Roma midfielder
Former AS Roma midfielder Ahmed Barusso has disclosed how an injury he sustained while playing for Novara created an opportunity for current Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.
At the time, Fernandes was a young player, making 21 appearances for Novara during the 2012/13 Serie B season.
According to Barusso, Fernandes’ breakthrough came as a result of the injury that sidelined him.
In an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV, the 40-year-old explained that the constant play on synthetic pitches contributed to his knee injury, which kept him out for a significant part of the season.
This he said, opened the door for Fernandes, who was then part of the youth team, to be promoted to the senior squad.
“We played and trained on synthetic pitches, which took a toll on me. As a result, I was sidelined for the season with a knee injury, and that gave them the chance to promote Fernandes from the juvenile side to the senior team,” Barusso recalled.
Fernandes went on to make a name for himself, earning a move to Udinese the following season.
Over the next few years, he continued to impress, eventually joining Sampdoria in 2017 and moving to Sporting CP the year after, where he became one of the most sought-after midfielders. Fernandes later signed with Manchester United.
Barusso said his injury forced him to return to Ghana before making a move to Arezzo in Serie C, where he began winding down his career in the lower leagues.
He also represented Ghana at the 2008 African Cup of Nations, playing two matches as the team secured a bronze medal.
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