Alejandro Garnacho broke his silence on his bitter Manchester United exit after an impressive performance for Chelsea during their Champions League win over Benfica. The Argentine winger shone under the lights of Stamford Bridge as Chelsea edged past Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. His dangerous cross forced Richard Rios into an own goal, sealing a priceless 1-0 win for Enzo Maresca’s side.
The 'bomb squad' fallout
Garnacho’s Chelsea move came after he was lumped together with Marcus Rashford, Antony and others in a so-called 'bomb squad', training away from the first-team picture as Ruben Amorim decided they no longer fit his plans. While his former team-mates scrambled for new clubs, Garnacho eventually landed in London. Four appearances in for Chelsea, with two starts under his belt, it’s looking like a transfer that could haunt United.
AdvertisementAFPGarnacho eager to move on
Garnacho's attitude was frequently criticised at United and he engaged in a public spat with Amorim, which ultimately led to him being exiled from the United first team. The Argentine has been given a fresh start at Chelsea, though, and is eager to move on from a difficult period in his career. Speaking after the Benfica match, Garnacho chose not to lash out at his old club, despite the bitter split.
“I’ve got nothing bad to say about my old club Manchester United, just bad moments in life," he told . "I’m very happy to be here now, play in this competition and get 3 points today."
Maresca lavishes praise on winger
Chelsea boss Maresca gave a glowing assessment of the young winger. The Chelsea boss highlighted not just Garnacho’s attacking flair, but the dirty work he put in without the ball during the narrow win over Benfica.
"Not only on the ball, I think defensively he was very good, the way he pressed," he said. "In the last third, he has freedom to go one-on-one when he decides. To arrive in the box is important because it’s from there we score goals."
Getty Images SportLiverpool test looms large
As Chelsea gear up to face Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend, the big question is whether Garnacho has done enough to earn his first league start. Handing Garnacho the nod against the champions would be the ultimate vote of confidence, and another chance for the winger to show United exactly what they’ve lost.