Juan Mata has not dismissed the possibility of participating in the highly-anticipated derby against Sydney FC this Saturday night, as the Western Sydney Wanderers star evaluates his fitness after a recent hamstring injury.
The experienced midfielder suffered the injury in the 11th minute of last week’s narrow 1-0 victory against Brisbane Roar and has been working to recover in time for the crucial clash at Allianz Stadium.
Despite assisting in Brisbane’s sole goal at Suncorp Stadium, Mata is now in a race against the clock to be ready for the intense encounter with their Sydney rivals.
While addressing his injury concerns at Bondi Beach on Wednesday, Mata said to the gathered reporters: “Regrettably, I felt an issue with my hamstring.”
“I sensed something was off in training the day before the match, but I believed it was manageable. I felt fine when I woke up and during the warm-up.”
“However, during the game, as I took my first corner, I felt a twinge in my hamstring. I attempted to continue, but running and sprinting became difficult. I decided it was best to stop as a precaution.”
“Let’s see. I’m improving every day.”
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Mata has been a valuable asset for Western Sydney, starting six of their last seven matches, contributing one goal and two assists during that stretch.
When asked whether he had undergone a scan on his hamstring, Mata responded: “I experienced a minor injury; there’s something there.”
“I was hopeful for a clear scan result, but unfortunately, it wasn’t clean. I’m taking it day by day and will assess how I feel leading up to the weekend.”
With everyone keenly observing Mata’s condition, the 36-year-old also shared insights into the medical guidance he has received from the Wanderers’ medical team.
“They prefer not to estimate recovery times; it’s more about how I’m feeling,” Mata explained.
“We analyse the scan results to understand the issue better, but we primarily focus on how I feel each day. Today, I feel better than yesterday, and I hope to feel even better tomorrow.”
“However, hamstring issues are never a good sign.”
Mata expressed his enjoyment of life in Australia while revealing he has not yet made a decision regarding his future with the Wanderers beyond the current season of 2024-25. He stated: “I hope that I feel better by Friday so that we can make a decision.”
“Naturally, we have other players available, but it would be disappointing to miss out on such a significant match; it’s always a great occasion to play, and I hope for a positive outcome for us.”
“… I will do everything I can to play. We will see how my recovery goes.”
In other news, Douglas Costa from Sydney FC is not anticipating a starting spot as he continues his journey to regain full fitness.
Having returned from injury in Round 17, the former Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Brazil forward only played a brief 10 minutes as a substitute during the 4-1 triumph over Adelaide United.
“That’s really up to the coach because I’ve just had a short appearance in the last match,” he stated.
“I doubt that I’ll start, but I will be available to contribute once more.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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