Manchester United Stars Take Advantage of Rare Weekend Break
Manchester United stars Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte were among the Premier League players who jetted out of the country during a rare break in the season. The Red Devils were not involved in the FA Cup fourth round over the weekend, following their 2-1 loss to Brighton in the third round last month. As a result, the club enjoyed time off, riding high on a five-match unbeaten run under interim boss Michael Carrick.
Bruno Fernandes Returns to Portugal
Club captain Bruno Fernandes was among those to leave the country during the break, before Manchester United players reported back to training on Monday ahead of their next Premier League clash against Everton on February 23. Fernandes opted to fly home to Portugal with his family, and the 31-year-old was seen taking in a second division match on Sunday.
He was pictured in the stands watching Pacos de Ferreira's 0-0 draw against Torreense, with the midfielder supporting his former team-mate Francisco Ramos, who plays for the former. 'He is always special. He is someone connected to me and my family,' Ramos told SportTV post-match after being asked about Fernandes' presence. 'In addition, it is always special to have a figure of this from our football watching us. He values Portuguese football, he values Pacos de Ferreira and I'm happy to have him close.'
Manuel Ugarte's Romantic Getaway in Rome
Fellow Manchester United star Manuel Ugarte went further afield, as the Uruguayan enjoyed a romantic getaway with his British influencer girlfriend Georgia May Heath. The couple travelled to Rome over the Valentine's Day weekend, with Ugarte sharing pictures of their trip with fans on Instagram. Ugarte uploaded a photo from a dinner close to the Colosseum, along with images of him soaking up the Italian capital's culture.
Other Manchester United Players on Break
Similarly, Senne Lammens took in a football match as the goalkeeper returned to his former club Royal Antwerp for the first time since leaving for Manchester United in September. Lammens, who joined Manchester United in an £18.1m move, was invited back as a guest of Royal Antwerp. The 23-year-old watched on as Royal Antwerp were beaten 2-0 by Westerlo at home in the Belgian Pro League.
Harry Maguire declared himself to be 'fully charged' after a trip to Scandinavia with his wife Fern. The defender shared a photo of him taking in the iconic Northern Lights while on the trip.
Other Premier League Stars Also Enjoyed Time Off
Manchester United stars were not the only ones to benefit from having time off over the weekend, with Jarrod Bowen and Cole Palmer enjoying getaways despite their clubs being involved in FA Cup matches. Bowen was left out of the West Ham squad for their 1-0 extra time win over Burton Albion on Saturday lunchtime, with the England international given time to recover ahead of helping the Hammers fight to avoid relegation.
Palmer, similarly, was absent as Chelsea eased to a 4-0 victory away at Hull City on Friday night. Bowen headed to Oxfordshire for a Valentine's Day trip with his wife Dani Dyer, while Palmer travelled to Dubai with his girlfriend Olivia Holder. Holder documented the romantic getaway on her Instagram and posted pictures with Palmer. In one, Palmer can be seen in the reflection of a hotel room mirror in the background, while she takes the snap holding a bouquet of flowers. Another shows the gifts she had been showered with, including a Chanel bag.
They are understood to have spent the night at GAL in Dubai, a restaurant providing Turkish-Mediterranean cuisine. The Japanese wagyu beef sets customers back £800 at the luxury establishment. The couple have been together since late last year and this was their first Valentine's Day together. Another picture on Holder's Instagram story showed her lying on a sun lounger on the beach with Palmer standing a few yards away.
Bowen and Dyer, however, enjoyed a weekend at Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire. The footballer and reality star, both 29, enjoyed a child free weekend at the luxury country house and private members club, where rooms start from £1,400-per-night. The couple, who tied the knot last year, spent quality time together on rainy walks around the estate. Bowen and Dyer are proud parents to two-year-old twins Summer and Star, and Dani is also mum to four-year-old son Santiago, who she shares with her ex-partner Sammy Kimmence.
Looking Ahead to International Break and World Cup
The weekend offered players a rare respite, with the stars expected to be involved in international fixtures during the next break in the Premier League season in March. They will then hope to be included in their respective international squads for the FIFA World Cup in the summer, which is due to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
