Manchester United -midfielder Casemiro went from unwanted flop to praised hero within a few months.
The 35-year-old started with all five Europa League-Knock-out matches under Ruben Amorim and was unfortunate hero behind the incredible comeback of United against Lyon.
The 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in mid-March marked a late turning point in the third season of Casemiro in Manchester.
With Manuel Ugarte injured, Amorim had little choice than to turn to the older – but many more experienced defensive midfielder.
But since then, Casemiro has since been a mainstay in the United who started XI, his interest appeared from his early withdrawal into Bournemouth last Sunday to let him rest for Bilbao.
And he was credited for coaching the team by their 3-0 win over a hostile San Mames on Thursday, a place he knows well with Real Madrid.
The Brazilian went into the opener and ran 10.55 km against the 10-men of Bilbao, which was more than any other united player.
A bleak 12 months of horror errors under previous manager Erik ten Hag saw Casemiro of a knight in radiant armor go to disappointing flop.
Various controversial errors – especially horror huilers in the 4-0 drubing to Crystal Palace in May 2024 – saw Casemiro fall along the pecking order of midfield.
The once renowned Madrid Maestro was then put on the heel block, with United praying in January of this year for an offer of the wealth of Saudi Aarabia.
But Casemiro – who remained the ultimate professional while spending months on the couch – has turned it into a new role.
Jamie Carragher's brutal plea on the five-time Champions League winner to “leave football before the football leaves you” has now surfaced again to chase the Sky Sports Pundit.
Amorim was asked about the stunning transformation of the 33-year-old after United Athletic Bilbao had hit 3-0 in the first semifinal.
The 40-year-old said: “He is a very good example. Even Toby (collyer) sometimes played for him and now it is difficult to remove Casemiro.
“So it's a lesson for all players in Manchester United. Whatever the past or the last month is, everything can change at one time.”
In the 14 games between mid-December and at the beginning of February, Casemiro only played 136 minutes, starting with one match-the 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle, in which he was removed just after an hour.
During that period he was nine times an unused sub, including in the memorable FA Cup victory in Arsenal.
Amorim has been impressed by how hard Casemiro worked to meet his requirements to regain his place in the team.
The manager's 3-4-2-1 system has closed the enormous gaps that developed between the defense and the midfield under ten Hag and Casemiro has the safety net of a third center back.
Simply put, United has adjusted the running and urgent triggers from Casemiro.
Casemiro – who has left for another year at his £ 375,000 -per -week deal – could not fulfill that task given the high intensity of the Premier League.
So instead of pushing Casemiro to do something that he cannot do, Amorim relaxed instead of his demands, and told the Brazilian to sit deep, instead of pushing high and pressing in the midfield of the opposition.
It means that the Wingbacks Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu press higher on the field, which was not the case with Sporting, where the two players in those positions would fall deeply as soon as the team lost the ball.
Amorim added: “We understood that he cannot jump all the time that press high.
“We have to let him understand and sometimes it's better to place three defenders and let him be the fourth defender and let the wingbacks press high.
“These are all things that we understand and try to tackle all the criticism of the team. But the honor is for Casemiro.”
The wife of Casemiro, Anna, and children Sara and Caio, are happy in Manchester in the midst of the prospect of a fourth year in Old Trafford.
United sources are struck by the slimmer Casemiro this season, according to Manchester Evening News.
Months after the minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe listed him as part of a “too -paid” couple, the new torn physique of the Brazilian who called him “overweight” did silence.
Amorim has been impressed by how hard Casemiro worked to meet his requirements to regain his place in the team.