Bruno Fernandes's Cheshire home burgled while he was in Italy

Bruno Fernandes's home in Cheshire was broken into on Wednesday, while the Manchester United captain was in Italy with his team. BBC Sport reports that the intruders were inside the house for less than five minutes before police arrived.

Fernandes's family were not in the house at the time. The Sun reports that masked men raided the property, which is valued at £4 million. Police are investigating, and Manchester United say they are supporting the 32-year-old Portugal midfielder.

The break-in came after a hard night on the pitch. United lost 4-1 to Como in the Champions League, the competition that brings together the best clubs from across Europe. Fernandes, who joined United from Sporting in January 2020, was unhappy with how his side played.

He criticised the tactics of manager Michael Carrick. He told Reuters that United had adopted a "mood of defeat" and had not applied enough pressure on Como. Pressing means chasing and winning the ball high up the pitch, so the team can attack quickly. United have said Fernandes will remain captain and will not face any discipline over his comments.

The area around Cheshire has seen burglaries before. Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez were all victims in the same area. In January, Ruben Dias's home was targeted while he was at Manchester City's Champions League game against Galatasaray.

For Fernandes, the week has been a mix of pitch frustration and a frightening homecoming. The captain's armband is still his, and the police inquiry is now the main focus. Anyone with information about the break-in is being urged to contact the police.