David De Gea comically compares Man Utd teammate Juan Mata to 'Rocky Balboa'

The 'David De Gea Juan Mata friendship' has been evident since the Spaniard moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea in 2014. Juan Mata was Chelsea's Player of the Year for two seasons running after falling out of favour with Jose Mourinho in December 2014. The Spaniard is a firm fan favourite at Old Trafford, having helped the team win the FA Cup, EFL Cup, and UEFA Europa League during his six-year stay at Manchester United. Nicknamed 'El Mago', Juan Mata has built a strong relationship with Spain teammate David De Gea over the years.

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Premier League veteran Juan Mata turned 32 on April 28, 2020

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Premier League

David De Gea compares Manchester United teammate Juan Mata to 'Rocky Balboa'

David De Gea took to Twitter on Tuesday with the above video of Juan Mata hilariously shadow boxing. The 2017-18 Premier League Golden Glove winner accompanied the adorable video with the caption ' Happy Birthday Rocky Balboa'. The former Chelsea and Valencia player turned 32 on Tuesday.

Juan Mata has been one of the most consistent performers for the Red Devils. Although he is not a regular starter anymore, the talented Spanish midfielder still remains a crucial member of the United setup playing under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Since 2014, Juan Mata has made 178 appearances for Manchester United and scored 33 goals in the process.

Juan Mata was also part of the Spain 2010 World Cup and the Euro 2012 winning sides as well. The Premier League veteran made 31 appearances for United this season, scoring three goals in total.

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David De Gea Juan Mata friendship

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