Juan Mata, the former Manchester United midfielder, has shown his quality once again, scoring a brilliant free-kick for Melbourne Victory in their match against Sydney FC.
The Spanish international made the move from Old Trafford in 2022, bringing to an end an eight-year stay at the club.
While some might say United never saw the very best of him – especially given what he achieved with Chelsea, winning both the Premier League and Champions League – Mata still left a positive mark on fans during his time there.
Now 37, Mata has been impressing again with Melbourne Victory, even though his first spell in Australia with Western Sydney Wanderers didn’t quite go as planned.
Bruno Fernandes applauds Juan Mata’s free-kick against Sydney FC
Melbourne Victory couldn’t hold on for the win against Sydney FC, despite being two goals up by the 69th minute.
Mata opened the scoring with a free-kick in the 34th minute, and Charles Nduka doubled the lead after coming off the bench. His goal was beautifully struck, bending it around the wall and giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Back at Carrington, Bruno Fernandes shared his reaction to Mata’s goal on Instagram stories. He can be heard saying: “Knew it. The trust I have in this guy, filming live.”
Maguire also showed his appreciation for Mata’s strike, replying with a simple: “Love this.”
This wasn’t even the first time Fernandes has celebrated one of Mata’s moments from Australia.
Juan Mata continues to contribute for Melbourne Victory
Mata’s goal against Sydney FC marked his 14th direct contribution of the season. The Spanish midfielder has now scored four times and provided 10 assists for Melbourne Victory.
If he can maintain this level of performance, it could be enough to help push Victory into the play-offs. Victory currently sit fifth in the A-League table after 20 matches, with Mata starting in 18 of them so far.
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