Sofyan Amrabat’s brother, Nordin, has backtracked on his claim that Casemiro was fit to play in the FA Cup final but refused to sit on the bench at Wembley.
The Brazilian was not involved as United stunned Manchester City at Wembley to lift the FA Cup and finish a very poor season on a positive note.
Manager Erik ten Hag said before the game in north London that the midfielder was not fully fit, but did originally name him on the bench.
The BBC reported that Casemiro told the Dutchman he was struggling with a hamstring complaint and didn’t want to be involved, so did not feature on the bench.
Nordin Amrabat suggested that this was a lie from the former Real Madrid man, that he was fit to play but did not want to be in the squad if he was not in the starting line-up.
‘Casemiro was not injured in the FA Cup Final,’ AEK Athens winger Amrabat said on Z Select. ‘He found out that he wouldn’t start, so he thought to himself, okay I will sit in the stands then. He was fit to play.’
However, he since performed something of a U-turn on social media, posting on X: ‘Today during an interview on television it was suggested that my brother only played in the cup final due to an injury to another player. My response to this was pure speculation and my only motivation was to defend my brother who was on the field due to his own merit and hard work.
‘My words have been taken out of context, there was no ill intention whatsoever and to suggest another player chose not to play is wrong. I don’t know what happened on the day, so let’s move on from this non story.’
Whatever the reason for Casemiro not playing at Wembley, his Manchester United future is under serious question and he is being heavily linked with a summer move to Saudi Arabia.
The 32-year-old still has two years left on his contract at Old Trafford, but after a season plagued by injury and poor form the Red Devils are likely to accept an offer if an appropriate one arrives.
The Brazil international has been asked to play out of position at centre-back at times this season, but has also looked a shadow of the player who impressed in his first campaign in England after signing from Real Madrid.
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