Update: Jose Mourinho says Bastian Schweinsteiger is now an option, and names the German to his Europa League squad:
“Yes, he’s staying and he’s going to the Europa League list. There are spaces from Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin [leaving] and we don’t have many players and many options in midfield.”
“Ninety minutes today was hard for him. From minute 65, 70 it was difficult. But it was important to have this impact on his body. He was a good professional when he was not playing and he is going to be the same, good professional. With so many competitions and minutes [for United], he’s an option.”
In November Bastian Schweinsteiger saw a sort of liberation from his awful depth chart Siberia at Manchester United. It was then that he regained the opportunity to training with the first team. Huzzah for Schweinsteiger! His long freezing out by Manager Jose Mourinho began to see a bit of a thaw.
Up until that point, Schweinsteiger had been relegated to training with the U21s ever since Mourinho arrived.
Through all the trials and tribulations though, Schweinsteiger held no grudges. He’s actually been the team’s biggest cheerleader, and has routinely said that he will be ready and available if and when the team needs him.
That opportunity came today, as Schweinsteiger got a start, a goal and an assist. It was his first goal in 429 days and it put United up 4-0 on Wigan Athletic, further punctuating the route, which sent the Red Devils through to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Watch: Schweinsteiger scores 1st goal in 429 days for United https://t.co/776kPC3h8H pic.twitter.com/vr0NZnxzuD
— EvertonFootball (@Everton_Footy) January 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/825760792003887105
https://twitter.com/UnitedStandMUFC/status/825728713589477376
He became the first German to ever score for United at Old Trafford, and this was just his second scoring strike with the club.
Schweinsteiger was the subject of interest from American Major League Soccer, with a reported deal from Chicago Fire for $16.5 million. However, he said he wanted to stay, and the recent news events just makes it all the more sweeter for him.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, Bold and the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication, appears regularly as a guest on CGTN America, WGN CLTV News and KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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