“A bad moment in life,” no blame for United
Alejandro Garnacho has addressed his Old Trafford exit, describing his summer exile under Ruben Amorim as “a bad moment in life.” The 21-year-old declined to criticise Manchester United or name Amorim directly, saying he was “just training alone” and adding: “I have nothing bad to say about my old club.” Garnacho joined United’s academy in 2020 at 16 and quickly became a fan favourite before being frozen out as part of a five-man ‘bomb squad’ alongside Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.
£40m move to Chelsea and bright Champions League display
Seeking a restart, Garnacho completed a £40m transfer to Chelsea, where his cross led to the decisive own goal in a 1-0 Champions League win over Benfica, dampening José Mourinho’s return with the Portuguese side. After a bench role on his Old Trafford return and a mixed debut start in the League Cup at Lincoln amid jeers, he looked sharper against Benfica.
Maresca’s verdict and role at Stamford Bridge
Head coach Enzo Maresca praised Garnacho’s all-round contribution, highlighting his pressing and licence to attack one-v-one in the final third: “He was very good today… to arrive in the box is important because it’s from there we score.” The winger is being eased in after a disrupted pre-season but appears set for more minutes as he settles into Chelsea’s system.
