Juan Mata is the only player that has disputed all the official games with United this season. Mata will be a key player again in Bruges, where the team face a decisive match (Wednesday 20:45).
360 minutes. That´s the time Mata has been on the pitch in the four official games this season. 90 minutes each, to be clear about it. Mata has not missed a moment of competition in this start to the season. On Wednesday, against Bruges, United will bring on their big guns and Mata is one of them. The Red Devils needs him to seal their passage to the group stage of the Champions League. The result of the first leg at Old Trafford (3-1) was good, but no one knows. There will be much at stake in the Belgian Stadium Jan Breydelstadion (ko 20.45pm).
In the English team, only five more players have played the same amount of minutes than Mata. The goalkeeper Romero, defenders Blind, Shaw and Smalling, and the midfielder Schneiderlin. In Van Gaal´s notebook, Mata´s name is underlined. None of his team mates in the front of the attack (Young, Depay, Rooney, Januzaj …) has spent more time on the pitch than him. A significant proof of the importance the Spanish footballer has earned within the team thanks to his performances week after week.
