Nemanja Matic echoes Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s criticism of Glazers as damning Man United claim made

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Nemanja Matic joined Manchester United as a Premier League winner hoping to add to his trophy cabinet.

The Serbian midfielder won two Premier League titles at Chelsea, including one under Jose Mourinho.

After Nemanja Matic lifted the league trophy again in 2017, he then joined Mourinho at Old Trafford in the summer. Manchester United signed Matic for £40m and he went on to spend five years with the Red Devils.

Now at 36 years old, Matic is preparing to face United in the Europa League with Lyon. Matic is one of just five players who have played for Lyon and United and ahead of the clash he has looked back at his time at Old Trafford.

Having failed to lift a single trophy during his time in Manchester, Matic gave a damning view on the Glazers and United’s lack of a winning culture.

Nemanja Matic slams ‘commercial minded’ Glazers

Matic was a winner when he made the move to Manchester – having worked with Mourinho before at Chelsea, he was aware that the Portuguese coach was a serial winner himself.

But like everyone post-Sir Alex Ferguson, they failed to bring another Premier League title to Old Trafford.

Speaking to The Athletic about his time as a United player, Matic slammed the club for prioritising commercial and business over winning.

“The difference I felt after Chelsea was that at Chelsea everything was about the result and winning trophies,” Matic said.

“That was the spirit in the whole club, even from the man who cuts the grass.

“Roman Abramovich would only ask us about results. At United it was more commercial-minded. I started to think that after a couple of months in the club. I understand that our salary needs to be paid, but I felt that the results were not the focus like it was at Chelsea.

“I maybe did two commercial jobs at Chelsea, at United it was far more.

“I arrived at United with the anger to win trophies like I had at Chelsea, but step by step I started to feel that trophies were not the focus. Maybe I’m not right, but that was my feeling inside.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic slammed Man United’s commercial priorities

Matic is certainly not the only former United figure who has criticised the club’s culture and priorities.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was adored at United after he joined as a free agent and lit up the Premier League. But after leaving, he also questioned the club’s priorities.

Speaking to The Athletic, Ibrahimovic said United had a “small, closed mentality” and recalls the time he was charged £1 from his salary for ordering a drink at the team hotel.

“Can you believe it? A quid? Something like that would never happen in Italy. These are the details that make a difference and earn the respect of the players,” Ibrahimovic said.

READ MORE: How Manchester United lined up against Lyon in 2008, the difference couldn’t be clearer

Former manager Louis van Gaal also criticised United’s culture, labelling the Red Devils as a “commercial club”.

When discussing Erik ten Hag joining as manager, Van Gaal said: “Manchester United are a commercial club, so it’s a difficult choice for a coach. He’d better go to a football club.”