Juan Mata is horrified by the prospect of Lionel Messi joining Manchester City.
The Manchester United midfielder has admitted he is desperately hoping that the Argentine will decide against teaming up again with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad when his Barcelona deal expires in the summer.
Mata revealed that friends keep texting him to tell him that Messi will be wearing Sky Blue next season.
And he knows that would be bad news for United if the player he rates as the best the game has ever seen moves to his club’s bitter rivals.
Mata, who was speaking in his role as an Laureus ambassador, was asked about Messi’s chances of moving to City.
He said: “Well I hope not – I hope not for the betterment of my club.
“I don’t know what will happen, but I hope he doesn’t go there. If he comes to Manchester I hope it’s to my club and not the other.
“There were rumours, for example, that Cristiano Ronaldo might come back to Manchester in the future.
"One of the things that I realised in professional football is that you should focus on what you can control and forget about what you cannot.”
Mata, 32, would have backed Messi to win a seventh Ballon d’Or this season if the award had not been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
That is despite the legend waging war with Barca to force his departure from the Nou Camp after a season in which the club came second in La Liga and were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
Former Spain star Mata said: “I have a soft spot – which is very easy to have – for Messi.
“He is a guy that every time I see him play football he makes my life better.
“I would give him the trophy for the best player every year – I will give him the trophy for the best player ever because, what he’s done in his career and what he still does, is just unbelievable.
“I always make fun with my friends, because whenever somebody has a bad day, they put a video of Messi on YouTube and then the day improves.”
