Chelsea prioritised trophies, Man United focused on commercial interests - Matic

Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic has made a bold claim. He says Chelsea had a stronger winning culture than Manchester United. At United, he felt "trophies were not the focus."

Matic will reunite with familiar faces when United plays Lyon in the Europa League. Ahead of the quarter-final first leg, he shared his thoughts on both clubs.

In an interview with The Athletic, Matic reflected on his time at Old Trafford. He enjoyed it but sensed a greater focus on making money than winning trophies.

He explained, "At Chelsea, everything was about results and winning trophies." This spirit permeated the club, even to those who maintained the grounds. Roman Abramovich only asked about results.

Matic noted that United seemed more commercial-minded. After a few months there, he began to feel this shift. While salaries are important, he felt results weren't prioritized like they were at Chelsea.

He mentioned doing two commercial jobs at Chelsea but many more at United. When he joined United, he was eager to win trophies like before. However, over time, he sensed that trophies were less important.

Despite this feeling, Matic's time at United was quite successful compared to now. His comments resonate with many fans who share similar concerns today. Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS became part owners, saving money seems prioritized over performance.

Currently, the Europa League is Manchester United's only chance for silverware this season. Matic and Lyon will do everything possible to prevent that from happening. The French side hosts the Red Devils on Thursday before heading back to Old Trafford for the return leg next week.