Fan favourite shares pics from his new life in Japan
Manchester United hero Juan Mata has shared a glimpse of his new life in Japan and it’s everything we've come to expect from the cultured Spaniard.
It was announced in September that Mata had joined Vissel Kobe in Japan, roughly halfway through the J League season, in an effort to boost their title hopes.
Cultured on and off the pitch
GalleryJuan Mata has shared 10 pictures from his new life in Japan.
Juan’s new team are top of the table with just two matches left to play and, although he has been limited to one appearance, he is embracing life in Asia.
The 35-year-old fan favourite and keen photographer has shared a carousel of 10 images to his official Instagram account, providing an insight into his new life.
Take a look at the pictures in the gallery above.
Mata is on a different time zone in Japan - Kobe is nine hours ahead of Manchester - and it has been hard to watch United matches live.
Nevertheless, he is always following us from afar.
“Watching United is not easy with the time difference. Sometimes I wake up here in the morning and realise there was a Champions League match the night before because I’ve lost track of days and time zones!” Juan told us last month.
“Of course I keep in touch with a lot of people at the club. United will always feel like home for me. I speak a lot with Bruno [Fernandes] especially and I’m always following the club and hoping for a great season for them, and for more good football and trophies.
“I know the start hasn’t been easy but hopefully things will be better from now, and I’m sure it will because the squad is really good.”
Follow Juan on Instagram for more insights from his life in Japan.