Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana has hit back at former teammate Nemanja Matic after the Serbian midfielder labeled him as “one of the worst” goalkeepers in the club’s history. This heated exchange between the two players has captured attention as both are set to face off on Thursday when Manchester United meets Lyon in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinal match.
Noted that Onana’s comments about Manchester United being superior to Lyon sparked a response from Matic, who is now playing for Lyon. Onana, during a recent press conference, expressed his confidence in United’s strength, saying, “Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them…”
Matic, who joined Manchester United in 2017 and played until 2022, was not pleased with Onana’s assessment. The 36-year-old midfielder responded sharply, questioning Onana’s credibility by saying, “Onana said they’re way better than us? When you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United history…”
The clash of words between the two players has brought some extra drama ahead of their Europa League clash, with both seemingly determined to defend their respective reputations.
Onana did not hold back in his rebuttal. In a follow-up post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Onana made it clear that his initial comments were never meant to disrespect Lyon. He wrote, “I would never be disrespectful to another club. We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent. We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud. At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”
It’s worth noting that while Matic left Manchester United in 2022 without winning any major trophies, Onana has already achieved success at Old Trafford. He helped secure an FA Cup victory in 2024, a significant accomplishment for the goalkeeper who joined the club from Inter Milan.
