Mata's Memories And High Hopes

Each and every Monday during the season, Manchester United star Juan Mata pens a personal blog. In his final entry for the 2016/17 campaign, he reflects on the UEFA Europa League triumph and the spirit of Manchester and reveals his high hopes for next season...

Hi everyone,

This is the last post of the season, it’s time to take a break and wait for the next season to start. I’m taking my holidays and I’m feeling satisfied, that’s the consequence of winning a trophy at the end of the season, especially in the Europa League, a competition that I really like.

It was nice to share with all of you in Stockholm a good game and the joy of adding more silverware to United’s trophy cabinet. The road wasn’t neither short nor easy, but we finally got our goal, so next season we will play in the Champions League, which is what this club deserves and where we all want to be. Ajax was a tough opponent (it’s very brave to give so much confidence to so many young players in a team, so credit to them for that). However, I think we deserved to win because ever since the first minute of the final we had a very clear idea of what we wanted and we performed as an experienced, well-prepared team.

Obviously the atmosphere was different due to the terrible attack in Manchester just two days before the final, but that circumstance, instead of making us weak, gave us more courage to try to win and offer the title to the city, something to celebrate and to cheer up many people, at least for a few hours. I’ll never forget the reactions that we’ve seen all these days everywhere in the city (union, solidarity, respect, and many more values that make Manchester such a special place), and the ability of football to bring people together, to help, to contribute, beyond rivalries and tensions.

We have high hopes for the next season, but now it’s time to take a break, switch off from football and rest until the start of the pre-season training sessions. We will keep in touch through the social networks, where I read your comments and listen to what you say. You have been there in the good and the bad times and I’d like to thank you for that.

You are, in the end, the engine that helps us work and give all our effort day after day, in order to improve and, ultimately, celebrate things together. That’s why we enjoyed the victory in Stockholm so much: because we could dedicate it to you in such a difficult moment for everybody.

Have a great summer. Enjoy!

Hugs,

Juan.