Juan Mata has penned more than his fair share of downbeat blog entries this season, but his latest offering is even more sombre than usual.
Days after his late free-kick against Watford appeared to have breathed new life into Manchester United’s push for the top four, the Spaniard was sent off against West Brom. With United having to play with ten men for over an hour, West Brom won the match through Salomon Rondon’s second half strike.
In his latest entry, Mata accepts that the blame for the defeat falls squarely at his feet – despite suggesting that other ‘more serious’ fouls frequently go unpunished.
After it appeared United had turned a corner, Mata urges fans and teammates alike not to let this setback prevent them from finishing the season strongly.
Here’s Mata’s full post.
Let’s stay on the right track despite this blot
Hi everyone,
After almost 500 games as a professional player, this Sunday I was sent off for the first time in my career. As you can imagine, it’s not easy for me to write these lines. The truth is this is a new and strange situation for me, not easy to assimilate, but we learn from everything. I know that, in football, we see things like these every week, but obviously what hurts more is that my team-mates had to fight with ten men for a long time. I have the feeling that both decisions were rigorous; that, in many occasions, we see more serious fouls that are not penalised in such a way, but at the same time I could have avoided them and I take responsibility. It also leaves me with a bad taste for the supporters who travelled to the stadium, and for those who were watching the game from home, but I must carry on as always and from now on I’m already focused on the next game, the derby against Liverpool in the Europa League. In this sport there’s no time for celebrations or moaning, and after last Wednesday’s joy for the win and the goal against Watford, now I have to go through a more bitter experience. That’s the way it is. What matters is to move forward and to always learn from each situation. And so I will.
The team was in a good shape. I hope this blot won’t make us forget that we were on the right track, and that we have to keep believing in ourselves to achieve the goals that are still in our minds from now until the end of the season.
That’s it for today. I take responsibility in the good and the bad moments, as I’ve always done and I will always do. Thank you very much for your support.
Juan
