Alejandro Garnacho’s return to Old Trafford with his new club, Chelsea, didn’t go as planned this past weekend.
The Argentine attacker, who left Manchester United in the summer, watched from the bench as his former side ran out 2-1 winners in a high-stakes clash that marked Chelsea’s attempt to secure their first victory over United in the North West since 2013.
The 21-year-old’s move to Chelsea for £40 million came after he fell out of favour under United manager Ruben Amorim, leaving him exiled from the first-team squad and searching for a fresh start.
Social Media Feud Sparks Over Chelsea Appearance
While Garnacho didn’t get a chance to influence the game on the pitch, the drama continued off the field. During warm-ups, he was met with X-rated boos from the United faithful, and tensions spilled onto social media.
Garnacho’s brother, Roberto, who has a history of courting controversy, became involved in a heated exchange with a Manchester United fan.
Sharing a photo of himself alongside Alejandro on a private jet, Roberto received a hostile message from fan @tmaziee referencing Chelsea’s defeat on September 20.
Roberto hit back with a blunt reply, saying:
“You weigh 150kg, go to the f***ing gym instead of wasting your time texting me.”
Roberto has previously been accused of leaking team news during Alejandro’s stint at United, a claim he has consistently denied.
Controversy Following European Final
The family drama isn’t new. Roberto also made headlines after United’s Europa League final loss to Spurs, when Alejandro was left on the bench for most of the match despite starting every knockout stage game, including both legs against Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals.
After being introduced in the final minutes, Roberto criticized Amorim on social media, accusing the manager of “throwing him under the bus” in Bilbao. He wrote:
“Working as no one else, helping every round, coming from 2 goals last 2 finals.
Just to be on the pitch 19 mins and get thrown under the bus. [Wow] hajjahhahaha.”
Garnacho Reflects on a Challenging Season
Speaking after the match at San Mamés, Alejandro acknowledged the difficulties of the past season at United:
“Obviously it’s hard for everyone. Our season was s***. We didn’t beat anyone in the league.
We lacked a lot of things. When you don’t score goals, you always need more. Until we reached the final, I played every round.
And I played 20 minutes today – I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.”
The forward now looks ahead to fresh challenges at Chelsea, hoping for a smoother start and fewer distractions off the pitch.