Despite struggling to really make a name for himself in France at Lyon, Rafael remains a player a chunk of the Manchester United fanbase would like to see return to Old Trafford.
Whether it be nostalgia or Antonio Valencia’s rollercoaster performances, we’d have to ask each and every one of them to find out, but one thing is certain: the Brazilian defender hasn’t forgotten about his time spent with the Red Devils.
Bought with his twin brother Fabio by Sir Alex Ferguson, the right-back stayed until Louis Van Gaal got rid of him, having gone through the David Moyes “era” along the way.
Now returning to Manchester to face Pep Guardiola’s City side in the Champions League, Rafael gave an interview to L’Equipe, where he briefly discusses his time on the red side of the town and the derbies against the local rivals.
He said: “I’m glad to be coming back. I have so many memories from these games that have an particularly unforgettable dimension to them. I remember especially a win with a Van Persie goal at the end (3-2, December 9th 2012). It was beautiful, an unforgettable memory.
“At the end of the game, Rio Ferdinand was hit by a coin, which opened his brow. The photo ended up on the front page of the newspapers.”
With many, including Ali Benarbia, expecting Manchester City to destroy a so far lacklustre Lyon team, Rafael knows what his side need to do.
He continued: “No one scares me! Now, we know it will be a difficult game. We’ll have to be at 100% to hope to win or even get a draw over there”.
While there’s no Carlos Tevez to square up to these days, maybe the former Manchester United fan favourite will find a new target on Wednesday night?
Who’s your money on? Gabriel Jesus? Raheem Sterling? Maybe even John Stones?
