CELTA VIGO V UNITED
JUAN Mata may be asked to bring his European CV to the table for United against Celta Vigo in Spain.
The Spanish midfielder has won the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea in 2012 and 2013.
The 29-year-old was also a World Cup winner for Spain in 2010 and European Championship winner in 2012.
Mata has been out following hernia surgery in March but returned as an unused substitute against Swansea City in last Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Old Trafford.
He’s not seen action since the Middlesbrough away win nine games ago but manager Jose Mourinho is contemplating gambling to have his experienced midfielder in his XI in the Estadio Balaidos.
“Mata was injured for a while but he’s ready to play, he’s experienced, he’s one of the few players that played European semi-finals and finals so it’s nothing new for him,” said Mourinho.
“The only risk is he probably can’t play 90 minutes, but that’s the risk if he starts but doesn’t finish the game, if he comes from bench then it’s no problem for him. If selected, he can play perfectly.”
Mourinho has effectively waved the white flag in the Premier League top four battle in a bid to create United history.
The Reds manager has said he will be giving members of his squad a breather for this Sunday’s league match at the Emirates against top four rivals, Arsenal, depending on how United’s Europa League semi final first leg goes with Celta Vigo in Spain.
United want their passport back to the Champions League next season and winning the Euro final in Stockholm on May 24 is now the best way of securing a return to the elite tournament.
Eight Premier League points dropped in April, including four in the last two games against City and Swansea, have damaged United’s efforts to scrape into the top four.
But winning in Stockholm would also see United become only the fifth club to win all four European trophies.
United have won the European Cup/Champions League in 1968, 1999 and 2008, they have won the now defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup (in 1991) and the UEFA Super Cup (1991).
But the Europa League (previously the Fairs Cup and Europa Cup) has yet to reside at Old Trafford.
“The Europa League is the only competition that United have never won and it would be great to close that circle and say we are a club that won every single competition in the football world,” said Mourinho.
“I think it would be a good achievement given the problems and allow us to be back to Champions League next season. We are going to try as the Europa League has become for us now more important.
“Of course, it depends on the result against Celta, and how we analyse the game, but if we have to rest players this weekend (against Arsenal) then we are going to do that.
“We’re talking hypothetically here. We have a 50 per cent chance of getting through. But if players are to play the hypothetical final (in Stockholm) they would not be selected to play on the Sunday before (in United’s final league match against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.)