Spanish international braced for five-team scrap for Europe.
Manchester United’s Juan Mata says he is worried that the club are embroiled in a five way scrap to qualify for the Champions League next season with the gap narrowing in the race to finish in third and fourth in the Premier League, the Daily Star reports.
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Louis Van Gaal’s side have slipped behind the likes of Southampton and Arsenal in the race for fourth as they have picked up just nine points from their previous 18.
With Tottenham and Liverpool also contesting for a spot amongst Europe’s elite, United now face an uphill struggle to get themselves in pole position, though Mata has insisted that he is under no illusions about how tough a challenge it will be.
“It is going to be a fight until the end – and not just between two teams. It will be between three, four, five teams,” he said.
“We know we are arriving into a crucial moment for the season. The last months – the last 10-15 games – probably are the most important. We know we have to perform, we have to win and be in the position we can win.
“This is our main objective for this season – to play Champions League football again, because I think this club should always play in the Champions League.”