Bruno Fernandes Fumes After Clash With Florian Wirtz in Germany’s 1-2 Loss to Portugal
Florian Wirtz sparked frustration in Bruno Fernandes during Portugal’s 2-1 comeback victory over Germany in the Nations League semi-final on Wednesday. The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder — heavily rumored to be on the verge of a move to Liverpool — seems to be making early enemies among their Premier League rivals.
Wirtz opened the scoring for Germany at the Allianz Arena, but Portugal responded with two quick goals in the second half, courtesy of Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo, booking their place in the Nations League final on June 8. They’ll meet the winner of the Spain vs France clash at the same venue.
Beyond the goals, tensions rose late in the match when Wirtz and Fernandes had a fiery confrontation. Though Wirtz was widely regarded as Germany’s standout performer, his night was marred by a clumsy and aggressive challenge on Fernandes — setting the tone for an on-field altercation between the two.
The incident certainly didn’t endear Wirtz to Manchester United fans, but it only increased his appeal among Liverpool supporters. Many took to social media, calling on the club to finalize the deal and bring the 21-year-old to Anfield.
That wasn’t the only flashpoint between the pair — Wirtz had earlier launched into a mistimed tackle on Fernandes in the second half, which sowed the seeds of their later dispute. Liverpool remain intent on securing Wirtz’s services, having already seen off interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester City. An opening bid of £109 million was rejected by Leverkusen, who are holding out for a £125 million (€145 million) fee.
Recent reports indicate that Liverpool’s ownership group, Fenway Sports Group, is now ready to meet that valuation, which would set a new transfer record in both English and German football. Wirtz has also added fuel to the speculation, recently denying claims on Instagram that he demanded Alexis Mac Allister’s No. 10 shirt, suggesting he’s focused more on joining than making demands.
