Mata hat-trick of assists delights Australia | OneFootball

At 37, Juan Mata has rediscovered his spark in Australia, his hat-trick of assists in Melbourne Victory’s 4-0 win over Sydney FC encapsulating a classy renaissance in the A-League.

According to Superdeporte, the Spaniard’s arrival has eased the noise around him, yet he plays with undimmed ambition, delivering immediate impact through goals, assists and leadership.

Settled quickly, with the ball he still finds angles others do not, without it his intelligence endures. In Australia he is known as El Mago. Former Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen has praised the same sharpness and vision that defined Mata in the Premier League.

Against Sydney FC he threaded impossible passes, teed one from a back-to-goal touch and delivered a pinpoint corner, a complete creative display. He now has one goal and seven assists in 14 matches, the league’s leading provider and Melbourne Victory’s chief creator.

There is only one precedent for a Mata treble of assists. On 28 September 2008, for Valencia, he set up three in a 4-2 win over Deportivo de La Coruña and also scored.

A graduate of Real Madrid’s academy, he broke through at Valencia, then lifted the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea before becoming Manchester United’s creative reference. Later came Galatasaray, Vissel Kobe and Western Sydney Wanderers, prior to Melbourne.

His presence has boosted the A-League’s profile, filled stands and set standards in the dressing room, while raising team-mates’ levels on the pitch. The magic endures, and so does Mata.

Source: Superdeporte