Mata has eyes on Europa reward
United man hopes to replicate 2017 triumph but warns against underrating Belgian side
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Manchester United travel to Club Brugge on the back of a reinvigorating Premier League victory over Chelsea on Monday. They will look to ride that wave in the Europa League against the Belgian league leaders, who impressed despite exiting this season's Champions League.
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BRUGES • Juan Mata has fond memories of the last time Manchester United played Club Brugge, but they were different teams then, and are now on a more equal footing.
In August 2015, he started both legs as the Red Devils ran out 7-1 winners on aggregate to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.
This season, though, United are not part of European football's glamour tournament, where Brugge gave a good account of themselves, finishing third behind French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in Group A to drop down to the Europa League.
Based on their creditable 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in October, Mata believes the Belgian champions, who are nine points clear at the top of their league, will not be overwhelmed by the task of facing his team in the first leg of their last-32 tie today.
He told club channel MUTV ahead of their trip to the Jan Breydel Stadium: "They're a good team and I remember when they played in the Champions League (earlier this season), so they're a team that have good experience in European competitions and they won't be afraid of playing against us.
"The key is to not make too many mistakes, because a very cheap goal can cost you in the competition.
"So it's about being focused on what you have to do, to play at your best level and to try to grow into the competition.
"In the Europa League, if you have a bad day, you can be out of the competition, so you have to be really 100 per cent focused in every game."
Recalling United's 2017 Europa League triumph, the last time they lifted silverware, Mata said: "We'll try to go through and we'll remember the good memories we have from Stockholm in the final against Ajax when we won. It's a really nice competition to win."
His team are seventh in the Premier League and locked in a battle for a top-four spot, with only seven points separating fourth-placed Chelsea and Burnley in 11th.
Lifting the Europa League trophy in Gdansk, Poland in May could be an easier route to Champions League qualification next season.
United can also boast of a 10-game unbeaten streak in the knockout stage of the Europa League dating back to March 2016, but Brugge coach Philippe Clement has vowed his players "will give it our all" to deny the favourites.
"The Europa League is important for Manchester United, so they will give everything against us," he told the Uefa website yesterday.
"But we will play our own game. I'm really looking forward to this.
"One thing is certain, our stadium will be sold out. It's a new challenge for my squad. I hope I will be celebrating afterwards."
Like Brugge, Olympiakos also dropped down to the Europa League after coming in third behind Bayern Munich and Tottenham in Group B.
The Greek club will host Arsenal, who have to win the competition if they are to realistically end a three-year exile from the Champions League, in the first leg today.
Olympiakos are, however, not reading too much into the Gunners' poor season, with coach Pedro Martins saying: "They may not have started well in the Premier League this season, but they have great players, are dangerous and deserve our respect."
The visitors are unbeaten in their last eight games under Mikel Arteta.
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CLUB BRUGGE V MAN UNITED
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