Harry Maguire sent a message to Manchester United fans after receiving news that he will not be in the club of the season’s Champions League opening match.
The Red Devils will travel to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening to lock the horns with French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the start of Group H.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however, will not be able to use his skipper’s services to visit his team in the French capital.
Having had a hot season for the club and country, Maguire was reportedly abandoned in Manchester after dealing with a small muscle tear.
United have yet to confirm if this is actually the case, despite the English defender having announced that he will miss the club’s clash with the Parisians due to an injury.
“Disappointed to have missed tomorrow’s game due to injury,” wrote the world’s most expensive defender on Instagram. “I will work hard to get back in shape as soon as possible.
“The start of our # ChampionsLeague campaign #MUFC.”
Portugal international Bruno Fernandes – the brightest light in a season so far dark for United – will take the place of Maguire as the Red Devils captain.
“It’s an honor for me,” said the former Sporting Lisbon man. “I’ll be the captain for my team-mates and being the captain of Manchester United is an important achievement for me.
“But I think everyone is the captain. Everyone has to help and lead in their own way. The leadership is different for every player. Tomorrow it’s not about me, it’s about the team.”
Newcastle United (a) – Premier League, October 17
Paris St. Germain (a) – Champions League, October 20th
Chelsea (h) – Premier League, October 24th
RB Leipzig (h) – Champions League, October 28th
arsenal (h) – Premier League, November 1st
Istanbul Basaksehir (a), Champions League, November 4th
Everton (a) – Premier League, November 7th
“Leadership is every day on the training ground, in every game, and everyone does their job to lead the team in the way they think is best.”
United will face the French champions with confidence when they faced Thomas Tuchel 3-1 at their last meeting in the 2018/19 season.
Solskjaer has fond memories of the round of 16 – which practically guaranteed him the permanent role of manager – but insists that the result will have no impact on Tuesday’s game.
“Of course that (the 3-1 win in 2019) is history for us, it’s in the past,” he said. “Great story, but it doesn’t affect this game.” We’re different, they’re different, and it’s a different phase of competition. “
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