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He may be dead to me, but I know a lot of you still pine for the bearded hobbity goodness that was Matinha, Righteous Vanquisher of Parked Buses.*
* except when not
You will then surely be happy to know that he has apparently survived the Moyesylution, and after what must have been a very weird and disappointing season for him, he still retains his innate good soul that shined through so often during his time in Blue.
"Last week we had the Champions League semi-finals. I have to congratulate both teams from Madrid for reaching the final. I'm sure it will be a very intense game. After two consecutive seasons winning trophies in Europe, this time I will watch from home both the Champions and the Europa League finals and it makes me feel kind of envious. I also want to send a hug to my friends and former team-mates from Chelsea, for they have had a tough week."
Does José get a hug, too?
A lot has been said about our decision to let Mata go in January. It was certainly not a popular move. Would he have helped our title push? Most certainly. Are we better set up for the long run, especially once we (wisely) reinvest the funds from Mata's Chelsea transfer record sale? Assuming we move smartly in the summer, most certainly.
As Graham told you at the end of the January transfer window, "trust the project." Mourinho and Chelsea are building for next year (and beyond), and every move they made and almost every interview José's given this year speaks to that. Little horses and unhatched eggs - the short-term disappointment is the price we have paid for long-term success.
Meanwhile, up in the north, interesting times surely await Mata both this summer with Spain and next season with United. (Will he get picked for the World Cup? He was hardly a shoo-in even at the best of times...) In any case, good luck to him in all his future endeavors. As long as he continues to finish below us in the Premier League table.
