Cesar Azpilicueta: I’m still very good friends with Man United playmaker
Cesar Azpilicueta explains why he still remains good friends with Man United star Juan Mata
Cesar Azpilicueta has revealed that he remains very good friends with Manchester United star Juan Mata after the pair’s time together at Chelsea FC.
The pair played together for the Blues before Mata moved to Manchester United in the summer transfer window back in 2014.
Mata and Azpilicueta both helped Chelsea FC to win the Europa League title together back in 2013 before the playmaker headed north to join the Red Devils.
The duo also have played together on duty for Spain from youth level upwards and Azpilicueta has opened up on what Mata was like as a captain for the national side.
Speaking in an interview with Chelsea FC’s website, Azpilicueta said: “Juan is a very good friend of mine.
“I have spent a lot of time with him, starting at the youth level in Spain. We won together the Under-21 European Championships, and we went to the Olympic Games here in London.
“He was a quiet captain, but his experience was something special. He won the World Cup in 2010, but he wanted to play for us at the Under-21 European Championships the next year.
“And then he won the senior Euros in 2012, and came to play at the Olympics! What a guy.”
Azpilicueta and Mata could go head to head when Chelsea FC host Manchester United in their Premier League showdown at Stamford Bridge on Monday night next week.
Chelsea FC are currently in fourth place in the Premier League table and six points ahead of Manchester United, who are down in seventh spot after an inconsistent start to the new campaign.
Mata has won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League since signing for Manchester United back in 2014.
