Having established himself as a fan favourite following his move from Valencia three years prior, Mata is saddened his time at the club was cut so short.
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"I suffered an injury in pre-season and when I came back, Mourinho already had his team," began the former Galatasaray man, speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo.
"It was always for football reasons. I understood that the way I played didn’t fit in with his idea. It was a difficult moment in my career, because I went from enjoying it to the maximum to being relegated to another role.
"On that occasion it didn’t happen, although it’s normal for a player to ask for explanations: “What am I doing wrong? Why don’t I play more?” In our case there wasn’t much communication, neither from Mourinho nor from me.
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"It wasn’t a long time – just a few months until Manchester United arrived in the winter transfer window. However, one of the things I’m most proud of is that, when we met again in Manchester years later, I was able to stay at Old Trafford and be important for Mourinho there.
"We didn’t speak then about what happened at Chelsea; we talked about the present, about Spanish football, about London, but not about that. In fact, we got to have a relationship – a relationship that we still have – which was much closer than in our time together at Chelsea."
Juan Mata and Jose Mourinho during their time together at Chelsea. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Having left for Manchester in a shrewd manner, Mata was also asked whether he really felt Old Trafford was the best destination for him to try and reignite his career.
"Yes, because I saw that I didn’t have and wasn’t going to get the minutes that I was sure I would have in Manchester," he added.
"When a club like Manchester United comes knocking on your door, it’s difficult to say no. Old Trafford was different.
"It has a great history, and the feeling of belonging to that club is a beautiful thing. There are few chosen clubs but Manchester United are one of them."
Bio: Matthew is a freelance journalist and has currently racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.
