Not long ago, when speaking to the Brazilian media, Manchester United star Antony explained that among his struggles this season, there had been family issues distracting him.
And it turns out that when celebrating the Red Devils’ qualification to the FA Cup final this weekend, he was back to mentioning his relatives, this time for a good cause.
The Manchester United winger told ESPN Brasil that his mom was at Wembley watching him, and pointed out that her presence gave him some extra motivation to make a good appearance against Brighton & Hove Albion.
“My biggest inspiration is my mother. She was watching me with my friends and having my mother present and being able to provide her with these moments…,” Antony told ESPN Brasil.
“It’s different when you watch it on television and when you’re present at the stadium. It always gives you an extra thrill and excitement when you see your mother. I look at her and see everything we went through, all the difficulties, and today her being present in these moments is very important to me.”
“That she’s in the stands, in the stadium, makes me even more excited. She has been at my house for a few days now. I’m happy. I told her that when she’s there, I feel safe. The athlete is very far from the family and when you have your mother, friends or a relative close by, we know that it makes a difference. Having her around, next to me, is very important.”
Antony also spoke about the final against Manchester City, claiming Manchester United must stick to final Premier League fixtures before thinking of Pep Guardiola’s side.
“A final is a final. I don’t think I have a favourite. We’re not going to put ourselves as favourites because we know City’s quality, but we also know ours. The final is still far away, but it’s a team that needs to be studied. We have to prepare a lot because it won’t be easy. It’s still a long way off. Let’s think about Tottenham, which will be a very difficult game too.”
Manchester United are still fighting for a spot in the Champions League next season, and with eight Premier League fixtures left, they should indeed concentrate on that job before preparing for the FA Cup final.
It’s only after the end of the Premier League that the Red Devils face Manchester City in Wembley, as they play on the 3rd of June.
