Alejandro Garnacho will return to the Theatre of Dreams today as Chelsea face off against Manchester United in a game which already feels crucial for head coach Ruben Amorim just one month into the new season.
But the 21-year-old winger’s switch from Old Trafford to Stamford Bridge over the summer will have come as little surprise to senior members of the Red Devils’ dressing room after he ignored their advice to improve his attitude.
This unprofessional approach eventually led Amorim to expel Garnacho from his squad – a decision INEOS immediately backed, with good reason.
A Bad Attitude
The Sun reports Amorim was initially “looking forward” to working with Garnacho after he arrived in November to replace Erik ten Hag.
But this enthusiasm quickly waned after growing tired of the Argentina international’s “moodiness and temper tantrums when things were not going his way.”
Garnacho’s reaction to being dropped for the Europa League final – a match United ultimately lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur – was the final straw which broke his own back, after describing United’s season as “sh-t” in a post-match interview and publicly questioning his coach’s decision-making.
In response, Amorim told Garnacho to “find a new club” in a team meeting just days after the final in Bilbao with the winger subsequently included in the notorious ‘bomb squad’ over the summer.
Sources close to the Portuguese coach believe he has “not regretted his stance once” – and it’s now been confirmed it’s a view mirrored by senior members of the dressing room.
Senior Players Backed Amorim’s Decision
The Sun reveals three senior stars all spoke individually to Garnacho about his attitude.
“Several senior players – including Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Harry Maguire – urged him to start thinking of the team instead of just himself.
“But he wouldn’t listen and in the end the manager felt the Argentine youngster was bringing a negative vibe to the dressing room. And his regular outbursts on social media – as well as the mainstream media – also riled the former Sporting Lisbon coach.”
Whether fans accepted Amorim’s view of Garnacho is one thing, given the Argentine was always an awkward fit in the coach’s 3-4-2-1 system. But the fact that three of the most experienced players at Old Trafford all echoed their boss’s opinion should put any doubts to bed.
Garnacho burned his bridges at United – Amorim was simply the person who said ‘enough is enough’.
Featured image Clive Brunskill via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
