After walking off the pitch from a relentless 3-2 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night, things don’t seem to be easing up for Spanish midfielder Juan Mata anytime soon.
Johnny Kills, as he has become affectionately known at Chelsea due to a slightly tweaked English translation of his name, took the Premier League by storm last term. Fresh from winning the European U21 Championships with Spain, Mata moved to Chelsea to the tune of £23.5m and promptly became a fan favourite as he bagged a goal off the bench, confirming an opening day 3-1 win on his debut.
Watch match highlights:
Juventus 4, Nordsjaelland 0 |
Chelsea 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 2 |
Valencia 4, BATE 2 |
Bayern Munich 6, Lille 1 |
Benfica 2, Spartak Moscow 0 |
Celtic 2, Barcelona 1 |
CFR Cluj 1, Galatasaray 3 |
Braga 1, Manchester United 3
He started how he meant to go on, despite the manager who signed him, Andre Villas-Boas, losing his job after just nine months at the helm. Roberto Di Matteo’s appointment (then on an interim basis) saw Mata moved from the flank to the centre, but it made no difference to the Spaniard’s fortunes as the season concluded with an FA Cup and UEFA Champions’ League double.
His club form led him to become the Chelsea fans’ player of the year, and also being in high demand for his country. A winners’ medal was collected at Euro 2012, with Mata scoring the last goal in the 4-0 rout of Italy in the final. At his insistence, the technically-gifted midfielder also represented his country at the Olympics, but this time they fell well short of their heightening expectations.
After so long without a substantial break from the game, Mata could be forgiven for being a little jaded at the start of this season – but he’s looked far from it. He’s only missed two league games, and in the eight he’s played he has scored four goals and contributed five assists.
A partnership in midfield with new arrival Eden Hazard is already flourishing: they have been instrumental in Chelsea’s start which sees them second in the table, sandwiched between the two Manchester clubs.
His efforts have been rewarded in becoming English Premier League’s player of the month for October, and he’s an early frontrunner for PFA Player of the Year.
However, in recent games Chelsea’s form was stuttering. Despite a fabulous free-kick goal from Mata, they succumbed at home to Manchester United or, if you take the view of most, referee Mark Clattenburg.
Chelsea wreaked some rather scant revenge on United a few days later, when they were victors in an injury time win in the League Cup, but then they followed this up with a draw against Swansea City.
This run of underwhelming results came after a surprise 2-1 loss at Shakhtar Donetsk last month.
But was it really a surprise? After a disappointing Champions’ League campaign last term, many wrote off the chances of the Miners this year. Shakhtar won their first Ukrainian title in 2002, but are now sure-fire bets for their eighth as they sit pretty with wins in all of their 14 games, averaging three goals in each and conceding under a goal every two games.
So for Chelsea to travel to the east of Ukraine and even score at the Donbass Arena was quite an achievement.
Wednesday’s return leg in London was a pulsating encounter, and extra credit can be given to visitors for keeping Mata quiet for much of the game. Well, except for his wonderfully floated corner that found Victor Moses for a last-second win.
Shakhtar Donetsk will feel aggrieved not to leave Stamford Bridge with at least a point. The build-up for both of Willian’s goals w of the highest quality and their incessant, one-touch passing when going forward made it difficult for Chelsea to keep up with their tempo. Fernandinho, who revelled in picking out probing passes and charging through the middle from his position deep in midfield, was central to all of Shakhtar’s good work.
But for now, Chelsea push on in the defence of their European crown, and another telling contribution for Juan Mata justifies his status as one of the most feared players in world football today.