Why Bruno Is No.1 In The UEFA Europa League
Manchester United talisman Bruno Fernandes became the top scorer in this season’s UEFA Europa League with his decisive penalty against FC Copenhagen in Monday’s tense quarter-final.The Portuguese playmaker produced a confident spot-kick in extra time to register his seventh goal in the competition during this campaign and, crucially, send the Reds through to Sunday evening’s semi-final.
Sevilla will provide the opposition at the Koln Stadion in Germany and, while Fernandes is only interested in the team achieving success, he will hope to add to his tally for 2019/20.
Bruno scored five of those seven goals with former club Sporting during the first half of the season, scoring three times in two group-stage matches against PSV Eindhoven, as well as once each against LASK and Rosenborg.
Of course, the Portugal international then completed his transfer to United in January and continued his excellent form in European competition, scoring in our 5-0 win over Club Brugge at Old Trafford and again in Monday night’s quarter-final success over FC Copenhagen. Another on Sunday would be nice!
WHO CAN CATCH BRUNO?
With only four clubs left in the competition – United, Sevilla, Internazionale and Shakhtar Donetsk – Fernandes is in a strong position to finish as top scorer.
His closest competition is probably from Reds team-mate Mason Greenwood, who has five Europa League goals to his name following strikes against Astana, Partizan, AZ Alkmaar (two) and LASK.
The exciting Academy graduate, Greenwood, thought he had notched his sixth goal of the campaign with a wonderful finish on Monday night, until VAR correctly ruled the strike out for offside late in the first half.
Elsewhere, Sevilla’s Munir also has five goals on his record, and will hope to enhance that number during Sunday night’s much-anticipated tie against United.
EUROPA LEAGUE TOP SCORERS
7 goals – Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP/Manchester United)
6 goals – Andraž Šporar (Slovan Bratislava/Sporting CP)
6 goals – Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt)
6 goals – Alfredo Morelos (Rangers)
6 goals – Edin Višća (İstanbul Başakşehir)
6 goals – Diogo Jota (Wolves)
5 goals – Munir (Sevilla)
5 goals – Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
5 goals – Fabian Frei (Basel)
5 goals – Marko Raguz (LASK)
TOP SCORERS BY SEASON
2018/19: Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) with 11 goals
2017/18: Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Aritz Aduriz (Athletic) with 8 goals
2016/17: Edin Džeko (Roma), Giulianio (Zenit) with 8 goals
2015/16: Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Club) with 10 goals
2014/15: Alan (Salzburg), Romelu Lukaku (Everton) with 8 goals
2013/14: Jonathan Soriano (Salzburg) with 8 goals
2012/13: Libor Kozák (Lazio) with 8 goals
2011/12: Radamel Falcao (Atlético Madrid) with 12 goals
2010/11: Radamel Falcao (Porto) with 17 goals
2009/10: Óscar Cardozo (Benfica), Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen) with 9 goals
