Nemanja Matic spent five years at Manchester United after choosing to be reunited with then manager Jose Mourinho, who had signed the player at Chelsea. The midfielder has now followed Mourinho to Roma and have booked their place in the Europa League semi-final this season.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Matic has reflected on what it’s like playing for Mourinho.
He’s a fantastic manager who has won so many trophies. He always wants to win more and. I have to say that I’m proud to play for him. Sometimes it is not easy, he’s never happy and always wants to win more and wants you to improve every day, but I like that.
He’s more experienced but Jose never changes. It depends on the situation and the players he has in the team, but he knows very well his job. When you know him well he’s funny, and every player that plays under him will say the same.
At Roma, Matic is playing alongside former United defender Chris Smalling who is now in his fourth season in Serie A.
Chris is a fantastic player, very experienced and for me he’s one of the most important players in the team. I’m very surprised he’s not in the England squad, but the manager chooses the team. For our club it is better he has more time to rest during the international break. He’s doing very well here, everyone loves him and he’s a great professional and a great player. He’s a great man off the pitch and I’m very happy to be sharing a dressing room with him again.
Matic also offered praise to his former United teammate, Marcus Rashford, who’s enjoying the best season of his career to date.
He’s young like Tammy, and if one season they aren’t doing well it doesn’t mean the next season they won’t be the best on the pitch and that is the case with Marcus. For me, he’s one of, it not the best United player. He scores so many goals and he just needs to continue. For one player to perform he needs the support of all the team.
If United as a team are doing well then always one player will appear a star. The good thing is that the star is a striker or winger or midfielder. In previous seasons we had the star of David de Gea and if your goalkeeper is the star that is not good and you are in trouble. I’m happy for Marcus because he’s a talented player and a very good person.
