Rafael Benitez impressed by Newcastle United’s Victor Fernandez, but surely he won’t play

Follow us on Google Discover

Newcastle United handed Victor Fernandez a chance to impress during their friendly in Spain.

Rafael Benitez has told the Chronicle that Victor Fernandez’s display in Newcastle United’s friendly in Spain impressed him.

Newcastle took on Royal Antwerp yesterday, as their players maintained their fitness over the international break.

Fernandez was one of the youngsters who got his chance to show what he could do in the first-team, and the 19-year-old caught the eye.

Newcastle’s match against Antwerp was separated into thirds of 45 minutes, and Fernandez played in the final portion of the contest.

The prospect showed no signs of being fazed on his big opportunity, and Benitez said: “I think Victor did well. We were attacking a lot in the second half and the last part of the game. He was involved all the time.”

Benitez is still unlikely to hand Fernandez his first team chance at Newcastle this term, when the competitive action starts up again.

Fernandez is yet to make his senior debut, but Benitez may resist throwing him into the first-team just yet.

Newcastle are locked in a relegation battle, and with the pressure on, it would be a massive risk to start throwing in youngsters.