EKO HOT BLOG reports that former Manchester United star, Nemanja Matic has leapt to the defence of his former teammate Harry Maguire, calling the criticism of the club’s captain a ‘disaster’.
Maguire has been a frequent target for United supporters and football fans in general, particularly over the last year or so, and while criticism for sub-par performances may be warranted, the often-vile abuse directed at the centre-back has been largely condemned.
Matic, who spent three seasons playing alongside Maguire at Old Trafford, shared his disgust at the way the England international has been treated, telling the Times: ‘What people are doing to him, it is a disaster.
‘Everything has to have limits and some of these people writing on social media, they don’t have their own lives, so they just have to write bad things about someone else.’
The defensive midfielder left the Red Devils over the summer to join Roma and reunite with manager Jose Mourinho, who had previously signed the Serbian for Chelsea and United.
As his time in England came to an end during last season, Matic stated that both clubs held special places in his heart, something that did not sit well with former United captain turned pundit Roy Keane, who has also been an outspoken critic of Maguire.
Matic has now responded to Keane, saying: ‘I have respect for what he has done but he needs to understand that football has changed.
‘If I played for Chelsea, I cannot say I hate them. I cannot be angry when I’m talking to the press after the game.
‘The way he behaved on pitch, 70 per cent of it is a red card today. You cannot throw a punch when all the cameras in the world are there.
‘The real hero is when you go out on the street and say something, but he was always very nice with me, so what he says in public, to be honest, I don’t really care. I know what I’ve done in my career and I’m very happy.’
Matic made 343 appearances for both clubs and while he failed to lift silverware at United, the 34-year-old did win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup with Chelsea.
Click to watch our video of the week:
President Bola Tinubu redeployed 11 federal permanent secretaries across ministries. Handovers must be finalized by…
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has described allegations that…
35 Killed in Ibadan Funfair Tragedy, Agidigbo FM Chairman Hospitalized Oriyomi Hamzat, Chairman of Agidigbo…