Herrera: I was the man to stop Hazard
During his time at Manchester United, midfielder Ander Herrera was synonymous with diligent hard work.
In particular, the ex-Red earned much acclaim for the way he handled Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard in 2017, with then-United boss Jose Mourinho tasking the Spaniard with sticking to the Belgian like glue in a disciplined man-marking job.
On Ander’s UTD Podcast, which is now available to watch and listen to on ManUtd.com and in the United App, he explains his dedication to the role he was assigned by his manager.
Ander Herrera – “I have United in my heart”
podcastUTD Podcast co-hosts Helen Evans and Sam Homewood travelled to Bilbao, Spain, to catch up with Ander Herrera, whose honesty and passion led to one of our best-ever episodes. The former Reds midfielder speaks fondly about his childhood as the son of a professional footballer and sporting director, before recounting his first spell as an Athletic Club player – which included their famous Europa League victories over Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in 2011/12. Herrera describes his 2014 transfer to Old Trafford in amazing detail and dissects his five popular seasons as a Red, offering amazing observations of former managers Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer along the way. Then comes the touching moment he breaks down in tears, when discussing his difficult decision to leave the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. After three seasons in France, Ander is back in the Basque country with his beloved Athletic Club and their magnificent San Mames Stadium is the backdrop for our unmissable conversation. Remember, as well as listening, you can watch it in full by tapping the camera button on your podcast screen. Enjoy!
“At that time, Hazard was the best player in the league, with the best stats and everything,” Ander said.
“Chelsea were on fire, and Mourinho decided that I was the man to stop him.
“Two days before [the match], I said: ‘I’m going to try my best. Even if he goes to the toilet, I will follow him.’”
The match ended 2-0 to United, with Herrera suppressing Hazard, while also contributing with a goal and assist too. Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard was voted Man of the Match.
Despite the individual acclaim he has received for that performance, Ander maintains that he is, and always will be, a team player.
“It was funny because I had a defensive role at that time, and I gave an assist, and I scored a goal,” he said. “And Hazard didn’t do too much at that time, so it was funny.
United 2 Chelsea 0
16 April 2017: The Reds beat Antonio Conte's side at Old Trafford, courtesy of goals from Rashford and Herrera...
“I am a team player. I am ready to help the team and, at that time, Mourinho asked me to do that and I did it and, if tomorrow, I have to do it here in Bilbao, I will do it again.
“I want to finish my career with the feeling that I have done everything that I have done in my hands to help my team, my coach and my team-mates.”
Herrera’s episode of the UTD Podcast is now available, as both audio and video. It was released at 17:00 GMT on Monday evening, and is exclusively available via the United App, ManUtd.com and MUTV for the first 24 hours, before it is then released externally via the usual podcast providers.
Tune in now to hear more brilliant stories about Ander’s United career. You really don’t want to miss it!