Chelsea had some truly elite talent in the 2010s, including the likes of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Juan Mata.
Such players were appreciated at Stamford Bridge, with Hazard and Mata both winning the Chelsea Player of the Season award during their spells there.
In fact, both men won the accolade on more than one occasion, showing how well they performed in west London.
However, towards the end of his time at Chelsea, things were not easy for Mata.
Chelsea attacker Juan Mata in the rain
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Juan Mata’s final season at Chelsea was ‘worst’ moment in his career
Mata went on to win Chelsea’s Player of the Season award twice, but that did not stop Jose Mourinho from benching him.
In the 2013/14 campaign, the attacking midfielder lost his automatic starter status, often finding himself in the team one week and out of it the next.
Years after moving to Old Trafford, he told Manchester United’s official club website that it was the “worst” moment in his career.
“The worst was probably when I was at Chelsea,” he said in 2020. “I was voted, for two years, Player of the Year, I was playing regularly and I was playing very good and enjoying my football and then the situation changed.
“I stopped playing as much, my confidence was not as high and that was a challenge in my career that I had to overcome, but I think that it’s normal. I don’t know any player that has a career that is going always good and always right.”
As the Spaniard mentioned, he still had plenty of good moments and matches during his time in SW6.
For example, there was one game where Mata helped Chelsea to thrash Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup.
Wolves, who lost to the Blues in the same competition on Wednesday, were beaten 6-0 that night.
Of course, Mata’s biggest accomplishment was obviously helping Chelsea to win the Champions League in 2012.
Chelsea trio Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard hugging
Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP via Getty Images
Everything Juan Mata achieved at Chelsea
On top of his Champions League medal and two Player of the Season awards, Mata also won the Europa League and FA Cup.
He had the chance to get his hands on the UEFA Super Cup twice, as well as the Club World Cup, but Chelsea fell short in the finals of those tournaments.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was surprised when Chelsea sold Mata to United. Many people were at the time, but he was never able to convince Wenger’s arch-nemesis Mourinho.