Bruno Fernandes insisted that he will only relax if he dies after a new sizzling version – despite the incentives of Ruben Amorim to calm him down.
The captain of Manchester United set two goals past Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, while the Red Devils placed one foot in the Europa League final with a 3-0 win.
His ruthless form has seen him rise 37 target contributions for the season and it is gloomy for United fans to imagine where they would be without him.
A flawless fitness record means that he has hardly missed a competition since he was signed for £ 68 million from Sporting Lisbon in 2020.
After the victory in Spain, he revealed that Amorim told him to relax, but says he will only do that in the grave.
'To be honest, I feel the pressure, every fine. That's the good thing about football. It is what we should enjoy, “he told TNT Sports.
'When I'm done with my career, that pressure will disappear and I will be much more relaxed.
“This is what I say when the manager and the physio tell me to relax and rest, I say,” No, if I die, I will have a lot of time to lie down and rest myself. “
The first goal of Fernandes came from the penalty spot after a very controversial VAR call.
United received the Spot-Kick after Dani Vivian had been assessed to withdraw Rasmus Hojlund, the defender was broadcast, but the Spanish side protested what they thought was an Alejandro Garnacho handball in the structure.
Crestfallen Bihablao Vooruit Inaki Williams later said: 'The piece in front of the penalty comes from a handball from Garnacho, who does not see the referee.
“It's a struggle between Vivian and him. At the least contact he goes down and it's a shame he called it. '
But United was a good prize for their victory. After 30 minutes in the front, Casemiro had led them after an excellent work on the wing of Harry Maguire, and Fernandes added to his penalty with a new strike for the break.
The penalty was awarded after Rasmus Hojlund was withdrawn by Dani Vivian, but the Bilbao -defender was sent after a VAR check
United hopes to reach their first Europa League final since 2021 and with it the Gates to Champions League Football.
They will probably play Tottenham in an All-England final after Ange Postecoglou's silk Bodo/Glimt defeated 3-1 in London, although the Norwegian outfit has been deadly at home in Europe this season and could reverse the draw.
Amorim's men take a 3-0 lead back to Old Trafford and will consider themselves as being in the steering wheel, although nothing is guaranteed.
“Nobody expected this result, but it's not ready,” said Amorim. 'The same result can happen at Old Trafford and we must be prepared.
'There are no road goals (rule), so everything can change and that is my message to the players.
'I think they should think of the second stage, and they have to think more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game. We struggled a lot in the beginning, but the goal and the red card changed the game. '
Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde was angry that the Norwegian referee Espen Eskas decided to send Daniel Vivian for an error on Rasmus Hojlund and converted a fine by Fernandes even more because it seemed as if Alejandro Garnacho had treated in the build-up.
“It was too much of a punishment, not just because of the fact that we went 2-0, but because we had to play with one man,” Valverde said.
“We have challenged a handball from Garnacho, but it is the referee who must be a referee.”