Juan Mata’s agent has lashed out at Western Sydney Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic, claiming the football manager’s treatment of the former Manchester United star was “disgusting”.
The Spanish midfielder’s arrival at the club in September was met with great enthusiasm among fans, with Stajcic describing the defender as an “invaluable” addition to the squad.
The 36-year-old is one of the most decorated players in world football, having won a World Cup and European Championship with Spain, as well as winning the Champions League and Europa League.
But since leaving Man United in 2022, Mata has struggled to gain playing time, having played for both Galatasaray and Vissel Kobe.
He made just 22 appearances in all competitions for both teams, averaging just 29 minutes per game, leading to concerns over his fitness following his arrival in Sydney.
Juan Mata’s agent criticizes Australian football coach for his treatment of former Manchester United star
Alen Stajcic brought on Juan Mata for less than 10 minutes during his team’s win against Newcastle Jets on Friday.
Mata’s agent is former footballer Fahid Ben Khalfallah, who played for Brisbane Roar, Melbourne and Troyes.
While Mata has attempted to allay those concerns, Stajcic has previously suggested that the physicality and pace of the A-League may have caught the former Premier League star and several other members of his squad by surprise.
The Spaniard, trained in the Real Madrid youth academy, has played four league games this season with his new club, starting two of those games. He was substituted at half-time during his team’s recent defeat against Adelaide United before playing eight minutes during his team’s victory against Newcastle Jets on Friday.
And his lack of playing time appears to have infuriated his agent, Fahid Ben Khalfallah.
“I think it’s crazy… I don’t understand it,” Khalfallah fumed as she spoke in the A-League podcast off the air.
‘When you bring in someone like him, you have to play him in a system that suits him. I couldn’t believe he only came for eight minutes or something.
Stajcic revealed after the Newcastle game that he was still trying to ‘work out’ his best eleven and work out where Mata fits into the team.
But Khalfallah continued: ‘I think it’s disrespectful. I hate it. I really hate it because it doesn’t make sense to me.
“And I’m so sick, so sick of those coaches saying: ‘Oh yeah, but the intensity (of the A-League).’… Well, we’ll talk about someone who won the World Cup, won the Euro, League of Champions, played in England for 10 years, he has always been one of the most intelligent and technical players of his generation.
There was much fanfare surrounding the arrival of Mata (centre) to the club and Stajcic (right) praised the midfielder’s work rate.
But Mata’s agent has criticized the coach for the lack of playing time that Mata has had since his arrival.
‘He wasn’t fast, he wasn’t the strongest. Despite that, he was one of the best players in the world.
—And are we talking about the intensity of the A-League? You must be kidding.
‘Put horses in the field, they will run, but they can’t kick a ball and they can’t play. They can’t pass the ball.
“Seriously, I hate hearing that kind of thing.”
Mata was seen icing his foot after being substituted after 45 minutes against Adelaide United last week.
Speaking after the match, Stajcic claimed that the midfielder had “hurt a little bit”, before pointing out that several other players in his team were carrying bags of ice.
He added: ‘It’s the intensity of the A-League; I’ve said it many times, it’s quite misleading.
“It’s a high-intensity football match, probably one of the most intense leagues in the world.”
Questions had been raised about Mata’s fitness before his arrival at the club, having struggled to get game time with Galatasaray and his former club Vissel Kobe.
Stajcic revealed after the game against Newcastle that he was still trying to ‘work out’ his best eleven and find out where Mata fits into the team
Stajcic, however, has previously praised Mata and what he has brought to the team since joining the club.
“He is everything we thought he was going to be, and more,” she said.
‘Going back to human qualities and values, he has already contributed a lot.
‘He’s very humble, he’s come in and he’s been willing to work hard and learn, and he’s been willing to spread his knowledge throughout the group.
‘His humility in and around the team is exactly the kind of culture that people in the western suburbs (of Sydney) really appreciate and enjoy, not just our playing group but the whole community.
And that’s without talking about his qualities on the field. The leadership he brings on the field, the calmness, the composure, the people learning from him in terms of his decision-making and his movements, is exceptional.
“He is truly an inspiring figure to have in the group.”