Mario Fernandes puts career on hold

Super Mario made 328 appearances for PFC CSKA and scored 10 goals. He won 3 Russian league titles, one Cup and three Super Cups.

Fernandes explained his decision to the official website:

— Dear friends! First of all I want to thank God for this wonderful 10 years in Russia. Without His help I wouldn’t have achieved anything here. God blessed me and gave me strength for each training, each game. I praise God for this.

Also, I’d like to thank our dear fans, who always showed respect and warmth towards me. They always supported me and motivated me either in the moments of joy, or in the tough periods.

But lately I feel enormous accumulated fatigue and exhaustion and can no longer give everything I've always given for the good of PFC CSKA in past years. I’ve been professional football player for the last 13 years, 10 of them I spent at PFC CSKA. Now the time has come to spend more time with the family. Moreover, as you may know, we’re waiting foe the baby this September. But I still want to follow PFC CSKA and stay closely to the club.

I met with the club President Evgeny Giner and the general director Roman Babayev, explained them everything that was on my mind and asked them to allow me to spend some time with my family in Brazil. I’m very grateful to them for accepting my position and letting me go. They treated me like a son.

After the game against Rostov I’ll leave for Brazil. My contract would be out on hold. However, if after a certain time I understand that I still feel the strength to help PFC CSKA, I will return and continue to play for my home club. I want to highlight that I’m not going away from Russia due to the current situation in the world or the tough period for the team. I was always ready to help the club and I always will. I thank God that he guided me to Russia and to PFC CSKA. Our club will always be in my heart! CSKA WILL ALWAYS BE THE FIRST!

General director Roman Babayev:
— It’s undoubtedly the serious loss for the club, but we couldn’t decline Mario’s request. Fernandes has given his best to the club for the past 10 years, he never saved himself and he extended his contracts two times. We have convicted him to take a break and don’t hurry with the retirement. We hope that after a short break, Mario will miss football, our family and will return home. Nevertheless, our club will try to enforce the position of the right back.

We ask our fans to come for the last game of the season against Rostov on May 21 and say farewell to Mario!