Rafael da Silva was a Man United fan favourite. Tonight, he returns home.
Credit where it’s due, Rafael was probably the best player on the field when Manchester United lost 2-1 to Istanbul Basaksehir. Heck, if the current Reds squad had half of his attitude and mentality, we may actually be challenging for a title!
Tonight, the Brazilian makes a long-awaited return to the stadium in which he began to make his name as a professional footballer. It’s just a shame that there are no fans allowed in as he’d undoubtedly get an unreal reception.
That hasn’t dampened Rafael’s spirits, though, with the ex-Man United man sending a heartfelt message to the fans on social media ahead of his Theatre of Dreams return.
It’s always nice to see players come back home. Rafael was a fan favourite during his time in Manchester, while the majority were sad to see him go. Credit where it’s due, though, the Brazilian is still having an excellent career.
Now aged 30, amassing over 300 first-team appearances, the right-back is definitely showing no signs of letting up. Expect him to be at his absolute best tonight, too, ready to give his countrymen Alex Telles a tough time down that flank.
Check out Rafael’s tweet here:
For United, it’s about getting the job done. Win this evening and we’re still firmly in control of our own European destiny. Drop any points whatsoever, though, and the door only widens for the three other sides in the group who are trying to overtake us.
Rafael’s Basaksehir are currently the outsiders, but if they come to the Theatre of Dreams and win, they’ve got as good-a-chance as any at qualification. It’s up to Solskjaer to set his side up properly, get them in the right mindset and win this game.
In an ideal world, we’ll go out there and send a message by battering Istanbul Basaksehir by four or five goals. You get the impression that this United team will once again do it the hard way, though!
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