Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has revealed how it feels to work with Arsenal manager Unai Emery.
Mata was at his prime when he played under the guidance of Emery at Valencia from 2008 to 2011. The Spaniard excelled in the attacking midfield role which resulted in a much hyped transfer to Chelsea back in 2011.
Mata may not be at his best but he is still regarded as one of the finest attacking midfielders the world has ever seen. The 30 year old has been quite regular in the last few matches but his current contract is due to expire at the end of this season and there has been no contact from the club in a bid to renew his stay.
Emery’s arrival at Arsenal has fuelled a potential reunion with his former coach. Mata, however, hails Emery for his unique approach to the game. “I think what’s special about Unai is the way he communicates.
“Sometimes it was five phrases or metaphors he was going to explain – I’ve never seen that with my other managers.
“They usually revolved around phrases about positivity, camaraderie, the values he wanted to create in his team.
“He communicated by means of the points he had written down.
“His talks could go on and on because he didn’t notice the time, but what he said was always intense, and he would ask you questions. It became a kind of seminar.”
