Nemanja Matic continues to show he has plenty left to offer at the top level, shining in Serie A.
Last season when Manchester United played Lyon in the Europa League, Nemanja Matic stole the pre-game headlines by publicly clashing with Andre Onana.
When it came to the games themselves, Matic was snubbed entirely. He did not play a single minute, despite the second leg going to extra-time, with United winning 7-6 on aggregate.
The decision preceded Lyon releasing Matic from his contract in the summer, with the French side wanting to put their faith in younger options.
Matic returned to Serie A to sign with Sassuolo, following a spell with Roma. And at the age of 37, he still has plenty to prove.
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Nemanja Matic playing for Sassuolo, up against Luka Modric
Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images
Nemanja Matic shines vs Luka Modric
Nemanja Matic has been a major addition to Sassuolo since joining as a free agent in the summer. He is embracing a role as a regular starter, and has helped them up to ninth place in the Serie A table.
The most recent game saw Matic go up against another veteran midfielder, Luka Modric at AC Milan.
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2018 Ballon d’Or winner Modric made the switch to Milan in the summer, and they currently rank second in Serie A.
Matic’s Sassuolo played spoiler on their recent trip to the San Siro, holding Milan to a 2-2 draw, his 14th appearance for his new club.
The former Manchester United star played all 90 minutes, completed 64 passes, and made 10 ball recoveries to help frustrate Milan.
Matic captained his side, with young midfielder Manu Kone getting on the scoresheet, along with substitute Armand Lauriente.
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Matic was loyal servant to United
Manchester United spent £40 million to sign Nemanja Matic in 2017, adding him to a midfield boasting Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera, among others.
Jose Mourinho could never really get the trio working as he quite intended, while his successor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer preferred to play Fred and Scott McTominay.
Matic still had his moments and racked up 189 total appearances for United, the most of any of the clubs he represented in his career.
He left United in 2022, and it speaks volumes to his ability that Matic is still delivering top performances at a high level, three years on.
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