Manchester United will most likely welcome their injured midfielders Juan Mata and Ander Herrera back to the team this weekend, says Manager Jose Mourinho. Both of them will get to experience United’s final tune-ups before the regular season begins in mid August.
Mata took an ankle knock during last Monday’s win at Real Salt Lake, which kept him out of both the Manchester Derby on Thursday and the battle with Real Madrid this past Sunday. In that match, a 1-1 draw where United defeated Real on penalty kicks, Herrera was subbed off just seven minutes into being brought on as a half-time replacement.
Neither one will play tonight in another international friendly against Barcelona but Mourinho believes both Ander Herrera and Juan Mata will be available to feature again when United heads to Norway.
“They cannot play tomorrow (against Barcelona) but I think they will recover in time to be integrated with the team when we go back to work next Saturday,” Mourinho told MUTV, the video channel on the club’s official webpage.
“They will probably play on Sunday (against Valerenga).”
This is a huge fitness boost for United, who face Real Madrid again in the UEFA Super Cup 13 days from now. Five days later they will take on West Ham United in the Premier League regular season opener.
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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