Ruben Amorim was guilty of the same mistake Alejandro Garnacho made and paid the price

Alejandro Garnacho committed the cardinal sin of openly defying his manager with comments that could bring an end to his career at Manchester United.

But Ruben Amorim himself has made the same mistake in the past and paid for it.

Garnacho took issue with his manager’s decision to name him among the substitutes in last week’s Europa League final against Tottenham with Mason Mount given the nod instead.

‘Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today – I don’t know,’ Garnacho said. ‘I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.’

While Amorim has not publicly addressed the winger’s comments, reports have detailed how the former Sporting Lisbon boss told Garnacho to ‘pray’ he finds a new club this summer in a furious team meeting after the defeat in Bilbao.

This is not the first time discipline has been an issue with the 20-year-old. Juvenile social media activity was called out by Erik ten Hag during his time at the club.

Garnacho was dropped from the squad ahead of the Manchester derby in December, less than a month on from Amorim’s arrival. In February, he threw a strop after being replaced in the first-half against Ipswich Town, buying dinner for the entire squad as way of a punishment.

This time, the punishment may be more severe. But Amorim himself has learned the consequences of his actions with his own history of questioning his manager during his playing days.

The time Amorim criticised his manager… just like Garnacho

In October 2011, Amorim, then a Benfica player, was on international duty with the Portugal squad when he took aim at his club head coach Jorge Jesus.

Amorim has struggled for game time in the Portuguese capital, starting just three games all season, but still found himself selected by national team boss Paulo Bento. During a media conference, a 25-year-old Amorim made a not-so-thinly-veiled dig at his club manager Jesus.

‘I expect to always play, but it’s up to him [Jesus] to decide. It has nothing to do with the quality of this player or that player,’ Amorim told a press conference. It’s his [Jesus’] choice that he thinks I shouldn’t play for Benfica… I’m happy that Paulo Bento doesn’t think that way.’

Amorim and Jesus’ careers had already been heavily intertwined with the midfielder playing under the coach at Belenenses before he was brought to the Estádio da Luz with his comments surprising a lot of people back home.

‘Amorim spoke in a very Garnacho-like fashion’

‘It is a very similar situation,’ Portuguese football expert Aaron Barton told Metro. ‘It was a very public fall out and at the time it was a big shock because these were two people who had worked together so closely throughout Amorim’s playing career. They had trodden the same path together.

‘In a very Garnacho fashion, Amorim spoke to the media while on international duty. So something must have been said behind the scenes – this is a manager he has already had good success with and all of a sudden he’s found himself out of the first-team picture.

‘It took a lot of people by surprise back in Portugal. Amorim is an intelligent man and even as a player that was something he gained plaudits for, that and his communication. So for him to go about it that way, it was seen as avery pointed jab.’

The tension died down – but only briefly.

Amorim suspended for ‘disrespecting his employer’

In December that year with Benfica cruising to victory over Rio Ave, Amorim was furious with not being brought off the subs bench after going through his warm-up. Record reported Amorim ‘argued with the coach in front of his teammates’ as things boiled over. The future United boss also refused to take part in warm-down drills with his teammates after the game. ‘He just flat out refused to do it,’ Barton recalled.

This time, there were severe repercussions for his actions. Amorim was suspended by Benfica and shipped out on loan to Braga the following month once the January transfer window reopened. He would spend the next 18 months at the club.

For a long time, it looked as if there was no way back.

‘After Amorim was suspended, the club put out statements in the media stating he disrespected his employer,’ Barton said.

‘A couple of months after signing for Braga he was asked about the possibility of returning to Benfica and he said: “It’s obvious I can’t go back to Benfica if Jorge Jesus is there, the best option for me is Braga.”.

‘But Benfica worked tirelessly with the media after those comments, to say Ruben Amorim is wrong to think he can’t go back, insisting he will come back whenever we deem the time is right. It was a very back and forth affair.’

A happy ending for Amorim and Garnacho ahead?

This story does have a happy ending. An apology for sorts did follow from Amorim – one more directed to the club and the supporters rather than Jesus himself.

After serving his time away from the club, Amorim would return to Benfica with Jesus still at the helm, winning two titles together. The 2013-14 campaign saw the club scoop a domestic treble in the league, the Taça de Portugal and Taça de Liga, a staggering success still fondly remembered by supporters. They also reached the Europa League final, beaten by Sevilla on penalties.

Despite the issues they shared at moments in their careers, the bond between Amorim and Jesus is a close one with the United boss naming him as his biggest inspiration alongside the legendary Johan Cruyff.

‘Eventually it was viewed as water under the bridge,’ Barton said. ‘He goes back to Benfica, they extend his contract and he goes onto play a role in one of the best seasons in Benfica’s modern history.’

Amorim and Garnacho may be more alike than either man would like to admit. Having crossed his manager and club in a similar fashion, should the head coach perhaps show a little more understanding? Garnacho’s comments lacked maturity, but came when he and everyone else at the club was hurting.

On the other hand, previous indiscretions mean the Argentine may now be considered a repeat offender. United’s need to sell this summer might also be a factor at play – Garnacho likely represents their most valuable asset ahead of a summer were brutal decisions are necessary.

A similar stand-off unfolded between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag in 2023, one United are still counting the cost of. No apology was forthcoming in that row – might one ease the tension in this situation? It worked for the manager, after all.