I joined Man United with an 'anger' to win trophies - the reality shocked me
Man Utd will face a former midfielder when they take on Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Nemanja Matic believes Manchester United were not solely focused on winning trophies during his five-year stay at Old Trafford. The 36-year-old was a key part of the United squad under both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but failed to win a major trophy during his time in Manchester.
Matic was part of sides that reached the Europa League and FA Cup finals, as well as the Super Cup, but he never lifted any silverware compared to the four major trophies he won during his time with his former club, Chelsea.
United are set to record their lowest-ever Premier League finish this season, though they could salvage their campaign if they win the Europa League and secure Champions League qualification. Matic hopes to condemn his former side to another trophyless season when they face Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final, with a hotly anticipated first leg in France on Thursday night.
Manchester United priority was not trophies
In an interview with The Athletic to preview Manchester United’s upcoming clash with Lyon, former midfielder Nemanja Matic reflected on his time at Old Trafford and the stark realisation that winning trophies was not the ultimate ambition of the club.
“We did our best every single year, the players, the coaches. In my first year, we finished second. We were leading in January but Man City won. We finished second, sixth, third, second and sixth. We played in the Europa League, Super Cup and FA Cup finals. We played Champions League in four of my five seasons. But we didn’t win.
“If I compare how we did with United now, then we did great, but of course United cannot be happy finishing second. United need to be winning leagues. We gave it our best and sometimes we’d get criticised, but I didn’t see any major problems in the club. The organisation was very good, the conditions perfect.
“The difference I felt after Chelsea was that, at Chelsea, everything was about the result and winning trophies. That was the spirit in the whole club, even from the man who cuts the grass. Roman Abramovich would only ask us about results. At United, it was more commercial-minded. I started to think that after a couple of months in the club. I understand that our salary needs to be paid, but I felt that the results were not the focus like it was at Chelsea. I maybe did two commercial jobs at Chelsea, at United it was far more.
“I arrived at United with the anger to win trophies like I had at Chelsea, but step by step I started to feel that trophies were not the focus. Maybe I’m not right, but that was my feeling inside.”