Raphinha scores hat-trick in 100th appearance for Barca
Brazilian winger Raphinha celebrated his 100th appearance for FC Barcelona with a hat-trick goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League encounter on Wednesday night.
Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic may be one of the biggest names in the Premier League, but the Serbian just proved he can still get star struck as he took to Instagram to post his glee at getting a signed jersey by Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
Matic, who recently made his Instagram profile, is rated as the best defensive midfielder in the English top-flight alongside Manchester City man Fernandinho and has been starring for the Red Devils since his summer switch from rivals Chelsea.
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Alongside club-record signing Paul Pogba, Matic has formed a formidable partnership in the heart of United’s midfield as the club have looked to regain their elite status. His departure still rankles Chelsea fans as the hulking Serbian was the spine of the Blues’ title triumphs in the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons.
A sale to a direct rival is rare, unless if the player is on the wane, but the fact that the 29-year-old still has plenty of football left in him mad the the decision to green-light his move to Old Trafford an even more perplexing one.
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While United trail runaway leaders Manchester City by a hefty 12 points, the Red Devils have had an encouraging 2017-18 season as they are still contesting for silverware in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
Their acquisition of Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez last week has given the United faithful hope that the Manchester club can return to their glory days of the Alex Ferguson era, but it remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho’s can catch up to their derby rivals as the final stages of the 2017-18 season approach.
Sanchez starred on his United debut, in a FA Cup Fourth round clash against Yeovil Town, but his first real test is in mid-week when the Red Devils travel to Wembley Stadium to take on Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League clash on Wednesday.
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