Juan Mata has admitted that he was extremely frustrated

Former Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata has admitted that he was extremely frustrated last season to watch the Champions League season from the sidelines.

United could not make it into the top four – and subsequently the group stages of the Champions League – for the 2014-15 season. Juan Mata had joined United just six months prior to the season. However, he was not able to make much of an impact to the team’s fortunes in terms of qualifying for the European competition. United have reached the top four last season, but this will not be sufficient to guarantee them a place in the group stages

The club will have to go through a play-off place in order to determine their participation in this competition, which the club last one in 2008. Mata says that the entire team is determined to bring European glory to the club. After the departure of Angel di Maria to Paris St Germain, Mata becomes the most expensive player at the club. He has the capability to properly United to great results, as he had done previously at Chelsea. He won the competition with the blues in 2012. Aside from reaching the qualification stages, United will also want to end the trophy drought since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Ander, David and I watched almost every game every week. You watch it but you feel you want to play.We would watch every Tuesday and Wednesday. The game did not matter – it’s the Champions League. I have been lucky enough to win it. But I am hungry to win it again, for sure. This club needs to be there. It needs to be fighting for the Champions League.Hopefully we can win the play-off, and we can start the season knowing that we are going to play in the Champions League and Old Trafford knows it can enjoy European football,” said Mata.