Andre Onana hit back after Nemanja Matic called him “one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history” by pointing to the Lyon midfielder’s trophyless time at Old Trafford in an explosive build-up to Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final.
Ruben Amorim’s underperforming Red Devils head to the Groupama Stadium for the first leg of this make-or-break clash knowing their season rests on progress against the French side.
Onana said after Sunday’s 0-0 Manchester derby draw against City at Old Trafford that overcoming Lyon, who sit fifth in Ligue 1, was “not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them”.
Those bullish remarks have sparked a war of words on the eve of the game, with the normally understated Matic – who played for United between 2017 and 2022 – taking aim at the goalkeeper with surprising venom.
“I don’t know – you know, to say that you need to have cover for something like that. Onana?” Matic said looking at the reporter, before puffing out his cheeks.
“You know, I respect everyone but to say that then you need to give the answer.
“If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history, you need to take care of what you are talking (about).
I would never be disrespectful to another club. We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent.
— Andre Onana (@AndreyOnana) April 9, 2025
We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud.
At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same. pic.twitter.com/3easLRIz3d
“If David De Gea or Peter Schmeichel or (Edwin) van der Sar said that, then I would question myself.
“But if you’re one of the statistically worst goalkeepers in Man United’s modern history, then he needs to show that before he says. We will see.”
Matic’s jaw-dropping comments were followed by a pointed post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Onana nodding to the fact that United did not win a trophy in the midfielder’s five seasons at Old Trafford.
Posting alongside a photo of himself kissing the FA Cup, the goalkeeper said: “I would never be disrespectful to another club. We know that tomorrow will be a difficult game against a strong opponent.
“We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud.
“At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same.”
The tete-a-tete is sure to be a key talking point at United’s pre-match press conference with head coach Amorim, who Matic played alongside at Benfica.
The 36-year-old is grateful to the United head coach for helping him settle in Portugal and believes he can succeed at Old Trafford with the right support.
“It’s difficult to know what’s going to happen,” Matic said. “I’m sure that he has the capacity to do that. He needs time.
“In football today people don’t have time but I’m sure he’s the right profile. He’s a young coach, with lots of energy. He needs support.
“It’s not easy. In some other leagues, maybe he will have an easier job, but in Premier League if you are not 100 per cent ready, if you don’t have a very good team, the other teams punish you.
“It’s so difficult to win the games in Premier League because today in Premier League every team has quality, a lot of good players. They all have good coaches, so it’s hard.
“It’s hard in the Premier League if the things are not right. It’s so difficult to turn the things in a short period, but step by step I believe that he can do very good. But I hope that he will not start tomorrow!”
