Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, in his eight Premier League season, has affirmed that he’s got a special connection with the English top-flight.
The 30-year-old Spaniard arrived in England from La Liga side Valencia on the back of a burgeoning reputation and his first two seasons with Chelsea were something special alright.
He departed midway into his third campaign with the Blues, making a switch to the Red Devils and he’s been an important player at Old Trafford ever since.
“The Premier League started on Friday. Looking back, this is now my eighth season in England. It’s the league that I’ve played in the most and I want to give my thanks to the clubs, as well as the division itself, and especially to you guys, the fans,” Mata wrote on his blog on Monday.
Despite being just 5’7 and not blessed with an overabundance of pace, Mata has managed to thrive in the robust environs of the Premier League.
Till date, he’s made over 200 appearances for Chelsea and United combined.
“I enjoy playing in the Premier League a lot. I like the style of play, I like the organisation and above all, I like the atmosphere in the stadiums. I will never get tired of saying it, the support that a player gets here is fantastic, and honestly, you have to be thankful for being able to experience something amazing like this in your career. At the end of the day, football without you all, and without the passion that it brings, it wouldn’t be the sport that we know and love today.”
The Spaniard set up Luke Shaw for what turned out to be the winner against Leicester City on Friday night, with the Reds Devils opening their 2018/19 league campaign with a 2-1 home win.
And United’s maestro was ecstatic to state that many of his compatriots were now plying their trade in the Premier League.
“This year, there’s a group of over 30 Spaniards playing in the Premier League, which is a great number to have. It makes it clear that we’re valued here, and this is a great competition in which to develop our game. When I arrived, there weren’t as many, it’s a good sign that many of us have spent so long here, and that plenty of others have been encouraged to try this league. It is an enriching experience to leave your own country to get to know another style of football, and trying the Premier League out is something that I would totally recommend.”
United, seventh in the table after their opening-day win over the Foxes, will now travel to Brighton & Hove Albion for their second league fixture on Sunday (2030 IST).
“To go back to Friday, to start the Premier League with a win is always good. Both for our league position and for the confidence it breeds within the team.”
Mata briefly touched upon United’s disastrous pre-season as he opined: “Preseason could have gone better or worse, but the important thing is the league, that’s where we have to measure up well.”
United found wins hard to come by and their tour of the United States was overshadowed by manager Jose Mourinho’s falling outs with star players like Anthony Martial and the club’s vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
They have, however, put their forgettable summer behind them by picking up three points against a dangerous Leicester City side and will look to build on their momentum in the weeks to come.
“We know that it’s still August, we know that there is a lot to improve on and on top of that we have teammates that haven’t been back involved with the team for long. Patience and calm is needed. We now have a week to prepare for our first away game of the season in Brighton,” the Spaniard added as he signed off.