Manchester: Juan Mata was understandably supportive of Bastian Schweinsteiger after his Manchester United colleague finally, and perhaps surprisingly, returned to first-team training Monday, ending a two-month exile imposed by manager Jose Mourinho.
Mata, of course, knows what it is like to be ousted by Mourinho, who sold him to United when in charge of Chelsea, but the Spain midfielder is adamant he had harboured no fears of history repeating itself when the Portuguese took over at Old Trafford in the summer.
Mata admits he had been inundated with calls from concerned friends and family who were hearing he could be axed. But the player said he never shared their anxieties and is convinced he is as important a member of the squad now as ever, despite the continued on-pitch turbulence that has left United seven points adrift of fourth place with a quarter of the season gone.
“The manager didn’t sit down with me, no,” Mata said ahead of United’s Europa League tie against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday. “I do feel an important part of this team.
Since I came to Manchester United, we had ups and downs, but I always felt an important player under any manager, and I feel important now. But we didn’t have any conversations.
“It is difficult to control everything that goes out, and your friends and family are ringing to know what is going on, but I always told them the same thing, ‘I am the one that knows what is going on, and I know that nothing is going on’.
“When the manager came in, I was always thinking the same as I always have — I am going to give my best, I believe in myself and I think this can work out. “It is a professional relationship [I have with Mourinho]. That is it. That is why, when so many things were said about what was going to happen when the new manager arrive, in my mind I had it clear.”
Mata has started six of United’s 10 Premier League games and 10 of their 15 in all competitions this season and has usurped Wayne Rooney as Mourinho’s preferred No 10 but the Spaniard’s substitution with 18 minutes left of the goalless draw against Burnley on Saturday remains a source of bemusement for many supporters.
Down to 10 men following Ander Herrera’s sending-off and desperate for a goal, Mourinho took off Mata, up to then the game’s best player, and Jesse Lingard and brought on Marouane Fellaini, as well as Rooney, to groans from the crowd.
Asked if he enjoyed playing for Mourinho, Mata said: “I enjoy playing my football right now, yes. Especially some games this season, Stoke at home, Manchester City, Burnley, Fenerbahce, I can tell you quite a few games when I think we played great football and I enjoyed that.”
Mata was speaking at an event to launch United’s latest global commercial partner, Mlily, the club’s first official mattress and pillow partner. United must have given Mourinho one or two sleepless nights this season and Mata admits there is little margin for error after taking just six points from the past 21 available.
“We need to start winning soon, and find consistency soon, because we are not in the position we should be in,” he said. “It is difficult to start a new era after the time Sir Alex [Ferguson] was here but I tell them [the fans] that this club sooner or later will be fighting for trophies again, and hopefully this season.”
Schweinsteiger is unlikely to have any influence on that front, though. Mourinho’s decision to give the Germany midfield his peg back in the first-team dressing room and allow him to train with the rest of the squad after two months with the reserves is believed to be down primarily to the club’s desire to have the player in shape before an anticipated January move. Until then, Schweinsteiger — who is not in the Europa League squad — has no expectation of playing first-team football.
“We all are very happy for him,” Mata said.
