Update: |I joined Manchester United ‘angry’ for trophies but there was one big problem News

Former Man Utd midfielder Nemanja Matic will play against his old club on Thursday night when Lyon host the Reds in their Europa League quarter-final first leg.

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has admitted that he felt that winning trophies at Old Trafford was a secondary objective after arriving at the club from Chelsea.

The Serbian midfielder joined the Reds from the London team in 2017 with a good trophy winning track record in England, as well as Portugal. For the Blues, Matic secured three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup.

Meanwhile, during his loan spell at Benfica, before breaking into Chelsea’s first-team, he won the league title, two League Cups and the Portuguese Cup. However, ahead of a visit from his old team in the Europa League, the Lyon midfielder has explained how he felt priorities were different at the two clubs.

“The difference I felt after Chelsea was that, at Chelsea, everything was about the result and winning trophies,” he told TNT Sports. “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.”

He continued: “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.” In 189 appearances for the Reds, more than he has managed for any other club during his career date, Matic was unable to add one piece of silverware to his collection.

Now, on Thursday night, Matic will be hoping that his current team can prevent United from taking an advantage to Old Trafford in their Europa League quarter-final showdown.

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