Nemanja Matic continues to excel at Sassuolo, but to many fans in England, he remains a figure of considerable Premier League stature.
Having played for both Chelsea and Manchester United, Matic secured two Premier League titles with the Blues during the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons.
In April 2014, he was on the Chelsea midfield during a memorable match against Steven Gerrard's Liverpool, which has etched itself in the memories of fans across the league.
Nemanja Matic on former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
“My son recently asked me, ‘Dad, what was Gerrard like?’ I told him he was one of the toughest opponents, alongside Yaya Toure,” Matic shared.
“He even asked if I witnessed the slip – I proudly told him I was there and pointed out that I was the first player to celebrate with Demba Ba!”
Gerrard’s slip is now a legendary moment in Premier League history. As the Reds captain lost his footing, Ba seized the opportunity to score, ultimately costing Liverpool the title to Manchester City by just two points.
Although Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot later lifted the trophy at Liverpool, it was Gerrard who had begun managing at Rangers by the summer of 2020 when Liverpool finally secured their first Premier League title.
“While I was pleased with our victory, I couldn’t help but feel for Gerrard. He truly deserved to win at least one Premier League title,” Matic remarked.
“Who knows? He might have gone to another club and won five – he had the talent to do so.”
“Mourinho had warned us before the match, saying, ‘Listen, guys, we don’t want to be clowns at their party; we must ruin the celebration.’”
Gerrard’s illustrious career with Liverpool ended in 2015, but he later played for LA Galaxy in MLS before stepping into coaching.
Matic spent five seasons at Manchester United, with subsequent stints in France and Italy, where he still competes in Serie A at the age of 37.
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