Valencia's Juan Mata misses training session ahead of Manchester United clash
Valencia winger Juan Mata has missed out on a training session ahead of his side’s crucial UEFA Champions League clash against English Premier League giants Manchester United.
The 22-year-old suffered an ankle knock and was left out of Monday morning’s training session as a precaution.
Valencia lead their Champions League group ahead of United and Scottish Premier League champions Rangers — who picked up a point each at Old Trafford — after beating Turkish champions Bursaspor in their opening match.
The Spanish side’s coach Unai Emery is glad that Mata’s knock was a minor one, and that the 2010 FIFA World Cup winner should be fit in time for the match at the Mestalla.
While warming up with the ball, the Spaniard looked to have slightly twisted his ankle and was removed from the remainder of the training session. Mata was assessed by the club’s doctors and it was revealed that he would not require further treatment. It
is believed that he will be ready to line up against the Red Devils.
Mata has become an important player for Valencia since arriving from the Real Madrid youth set-up in 2007. In his first season with the club, he contributed significantly towards Valencia’s Copa del Rey victory as he opened the scoring in the final. He has
kept up his good form and ended the 2009-10 season with the second-highest number of assists in the Primera Division (13) after Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez.
His importance to Valencia’s cause has been highlighted this season after the high-profile departures of David Villa to Barcelona and David Silva to Manchester City. He has played in all five of Valencia’s La Liga matches so far this campaign and has scored
once in helping his team to the top of the league with 13 points in an unbeaten start.
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