Manchester United players Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes teased bad blood with former teammate Alejandro Garnacho following Saturday night’s Premier League win over Chelsea.
Both United stars took digs at Garnacho on social media following the 1–0 scoreline.
That victory almost guarantees Champions League action will return to Old Trafford next season, while severely denting the hopes of a Chelsea side seemingly in freefall.
Once the jewel of the United academy, Garnacho’s time with the club met a sudden end last summer when he was sold to Chelsea for around $54 million (£40 million). He’d been dropped by Ruben Amorim over off-field issues as early as the previous December and was then publicly critical of the manager’s decision to put him on the bench for May’s Europa League final.
Behavior Towards Garnacho Hints at Bad Blood
“started to do some bad things”
A video circulating on social media of players in the tunnel before kick off hinted at a frosty relationship—no one in a United shirt made any effort to engage with Garnacho, despite most playing alongside him for several years. He didn’t get off the bench when Chelsea played at Old Trafford within a few weeks of his transfer. That made this his first appearance against his former team and he was routinely booed by the away section at Stamford Bridge.
Another video from the end of the match showed several United players walk past Garnacho while leaving the pitch and none extend an arm to offer a postgame handshake.
Shaw’s social media post featured a typical caption after a successful match: “Important win.” But it was the choice of image, one of him knocking Garnacho to the floor, that drew attention.
United fans, sensing the pointed picture selection, found it hilarious—one called it “savage,” while another commented, “I see what you did there.”
Bruno Fernandes’s response was a meme with a caption that read, “That’s a violation.”
Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher, breaking through a few years behind Garnacho, posted laughing emojis. Ex-United defender Teden Mengi, on the fringes of the first team when Garnacho arrived at the academy in 2020 and now playing for Luton Town, replied with the Roll Safe meme.
Garnacho Future Already Uncertain
Garnacho has had a poor season at Chelsea, failing to establish himself as a starter. It’s 14 Premier League starts to his name and only one goal in the competition. He also started only three times in the Champions League prior to Chelsea’s elimination, with a sole goal against Qarabağ.
Speculation is already mounting that his time at Chelsea could be short as the summer transfer window nears, with suggestions that the Blues are not convinced by him and are open to selling.
Early gossip claims he could be an option to replace Rashford at Barcelona, with no guarantees the cash-stripped Catalans will trigger the option to buy in the Englishman’s loan agreement. Garnacho, whose Chelsea contract runs to 2032, could be attractive as a loan signing.
Although an Argentina international, he was born and raised in Madrid and played in his youth for Getafe and then Atlético Madrid up to the age of 16.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Players Mocking Alejandro Garnacho Reveals Extent of Frosty Relationship.
