HEART OF THE MATA
‘Jose hates to lose and he always finds a way to win. He knows how to do this and be a manager at the top level. If you don’t win, you’re out’
JUAN MATA is convinced Manchester United have the right man in Jose Mourinho to take them back to the top.
The club are desperate to make it third time lucky following two false starts to the post-sir Alex Ferguson era with David Moyes and Louis van Gaal. Mourinho’s debut season with the Reds hinges on tomorrow’s Europa League final against Ajax and a place in the Champions League for the winners. And Mata, who played under him at Chelsea, is confident he will lead United to glory in Stockholm. “He hates to lose – that’s a fact,” said Mata. “Obviously, if you’re the manager or a player for this club, you have high demands. “You know, it doesn’t matter if Sir Alex Ferguson just left and it doesn’t matter about the size and quality of the squad. You’re always asked to reach the top. “And I’m confident that, sooner or later, we can deliver that and the fans will be really, really happy again. Hopefully we can start from this final on Wednesday. “Everyone has their own personality and their own way of thinking about football – the way to play and win. No one plays football to lose. You can find a way or another way, then it can be a different approach and a different style, but the ultimate aim is to win. “Jose knows how to do this and to be a manager at the top level you need to have that because nowadays in football there’s no patience. If you don’t win, you’re out. That’s how it is.” Mourinho has won 11 of his 13 finals as a manager, lifting silverware at Porto (above), Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and United. The 54-year-old will make it 25 career trophies as a manager if United win tomorrow, with Mata admitting losing is not an option for the Portuguese. “He’s been in so many finals and the mentality he gives to the players, not just to be in a final, but to win that final, is very important for him and for us,” said Mata. “We need to face this game with the right mentality and try to avoid mistakes as much as we can and try to play a very good game. “That’s what Jose is good at, speaking about how we can do that mentally and how we can be ready mentally.” Mata’s £37.1million sale to United in 2014 was sanctioned by Mourinho at Chelsea, raising questions about the midfielder’s future when his former boss followed him to Old Trafford. But Mata, who emerged as one of Mourinho’s most relied-upon players this season until groin surgery interrupted his campaign, said the pair have got on. “As you’ve seen, there are no problems,” said Mata, who was rested on Sunday and is pushing for a starting place in the final. “So I think people will think less about these things this summer “We’ve a good relationship. Nothing ever happened, we didn’t have an argument or anything like that.” Mata admitted United are desperate to return to European club football’s top table. Their Europa League odyssey saw them travel to Holland, Turkey, France, Ukraine, Russia, Belgium and Spain, a gruelling campaign he and his team-mates want to avoid next season. “The Champions League is the best competition and it’s a competition this club should be playing in every season,” he said. “We watch the Champions League as a squad when we’re away. It’s normally at dinner time. “We have something to eat and watch, wishing next season that we’re there. “When you come to such a club you dream about winning the biggest things, which is the Premier League and Champions League. “I haven’t done it so far, but I can do it in the future and hopefully the near future. Now we have the chance to win probably the biggest thing since I came here.”