Juan Mata was one of the eleven changes made by Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho at halftime of the 2-1 win at Real Salt Lake last night. Mourinho swapped out his entire team at intermission of the international friendly, and they emerged almost completely unscathed from injury. Mata lasted just 15 minutes at the Rio Tinto Stadium, due to his getting hit hard on the ankle by the Monarchs’ Sebastian Saucedo.
Mourinho said it’s not serious though, just a knock.
“Mata has a big ankle, but I hope nothing important,” he said in the postgame news conference. “A few days, a week probably.”
United Defender Antonio Valencia was almost certainly seeking retribution when he later swept the leg of Saucedo, and drew a red card for his challenge. (View the play over at this link).
Mourinho didn’t agree with the official’s decision on that play, but he did discuss the bright side of playing down a man during an international friendly, and the added experience it gives to the team (read those comments at this link)
Mourinho, Juan Mata, Antonio Valencia and the rest of the United squad head next to Houston, for the first ever Manchester Derby ever held outside of Europe on Thursday.
They’ll face Manchester City in an exhibition that will see both sides honor victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack. Go here for more on those shirts and the bigger cause that they’ll serve.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.
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