Fernando has defended his form this season with Manchester City.
The former Porto star has come in for criticism in recent weeks and admits he is still adjusting to England.
"It's always hard to start a life in a new country, changing places and cultures," he said. "You are trying to adapt on the pitch and away from it, and with things like the language, that is always quite difficult.
"I have been here for six or seven months now, though, and I am starting to find a little bit of continuity in my work and getting used to things.
"It is a little different. The players here are always running. It is a very physical, very strong sort of football. It is very intense and I have suffered a bit because of that as I try to adapt.
"And then there are things like the conditions you have to play in: it snowed when we played against West Brom, and it rains a lot.
"I was prepared for that, though, and I knew that it would always be very difficult when we played away from home. These are all the things you have to adapt to, as well as your team and the league itself.
"I am quite a physical player, a player who likes that part of the game, marking players, to help out his team, to provide support to the players in front of me.
"That was what made me want to take this opportunity, to see if I had the characteristics that suit English football."
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