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SportsIvanildo Fernandes left out of Nacional training session
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Ivanildo Fernandes, a Cape Verdean international center-back for Nacional, was not used in the team's training session despite recovering from an injury that sidelined him for the entire previous season. Fernandes joined Nacional in January 2025 from Al Ittihad Kalba and has a contract until June 2027. He only played a few minutes in a pre-season friendly against AD Machico on July 11. Coach João Gião currently has three center-backs available, with Léo Santos and Zé Vítor likely starters, along with young Francisco Gonçalves. Witi Quembo, another player who saw no minutes during training camp, has been transferred to Armenian club Pyunik. Brazilian defender Ulisses Wilson remains injured and is expected to return in October. Fernandes has yet to play an official minute for Nacional, and it remains unclear if he will debut soon. The team held two closed-door training sessions today and will have another tomorrow.
Source report
Ivanildo Fernandes has fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him for the entire previous season. The Cape Verdean international defender joined Nacional when the transfer market reopened for the 2024/25 season on January 22, 2025, following a stint with Al Ittihad Kalba in the United Arab Emirates. His contract runs until June 2027.
Pre-Season Participation
Although Fernandes began the season under head coach João Gião, he was not used during the pre-season games held in Lousada. The center-back saw only a few minutes of action in the first friendly match against AD Machico on July 11, where he came off the bench.
Other Squad Updates
During the training camp on the mainland, Mozambican international winger Witi Quembo also did not play any minutes. Quembo has since been transferred to Pyunik, an Armenian club competing in the Conference League qualifiers, and has already logged minutes for his new team.
Fernandes has been managing his workload but participated in training without any limitations yesterday and today.
Defensive Options
João Gião currently has three center-backs at his disposal for team preparation:
- Léo Santos and Zé Vítor – likely starters
- Francisco Gonçalves – has performed well whenever called up
Brazilian defender Ulisses Wilson is still recovering from injury and is not expected to be fit to compete until October.
Outlook
It remains to be seen whether Ivanildo Fernandes, who has yet to play a single minute in official games during his time in Madeira, will finally make his debut in the black and white shirt.
Training Schedule
The Nacional squad completed two more closed-door training sessions today on the pitches of the black and white complex. Another closed-door session is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:30 AM on the pitch of the Estádio da Madeira.
Source
RecordRegional
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Ivanildo Fernandes Left Out of Nacional Training Session