Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic has claimed that Chelsea had more of a winning culture than Manchester United, where “trophies were not the focus.”
The Serbian powerhouse will reunite with plenty of old faces when United face Lyon in the Europa League. However, Matic has made a shocking admission about the difference between the Red Devils and another of his former clubs Chelsea in the build-up to the quarter-final first leg.
Speaking to The Athletic, Matic admits that while he enjoyed his time at Old Trafford, he always felt there was more of a motivation to make money than to win trophies.
He said: “The difference I felt after Chelsea was that, at Chelsea, everything was about the result and winning trophies. That was the spirit in the whole club, even from the man who cuts the grass. Roman Abramovich would only ask us about results.
“At United, it was more commercial-minded. I started to think that after a couple of months in the club. I understand that our salary needs to be paid, but I felt that the results were not the focus like it was at Chelsea.
I maybe did two commercial jobs at Chelsea, at United it was far more. I arrived at United with the anger to win trophies like I had at Chelsea, but step by step, I started to feel that trophies were not the focus. Maybe I’m not right, but that was my feeling inside.”
Compared to the position they are in now, Matic’s time in red was hugely successful. His words ahead of the match will resonate with how a lot of United fans are feeling now. Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS arrived as part owners, there has seemingly been more of an emphasis on saving money than performing on the pitch.
The Europa League remains the only competition that Man Utd still have a chance of winning this season but Matic and Lyon will be doing everything in their power to stop that from becoming a reality. The French side host the Red Devils on Thursday before heading back to Old Trafford for the return leg of their quarter-final tie next week.
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