Manchester United's Nemanja Matic hopes to be 100 per cent fit for Super Cup despite playing just 45 minutes and training alone in pre-season

  • Nemanja Matic says he will try to be 100 per cent fit for the start of the season
  • The Manchester United new-boy only got 45 minutes of game time this summer
  • And he trained by himself before completing his £40m transfer from Chelsea 
  • But Matic remains hopeful of making a successful debut in the UEFA Super Cup

By Robert Summerscales For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Nemanja Matic is hoping to be '100 per cent ready' for Manchester United's first few fixtures, starting with next Tuesday's UEFA Super Cup final against Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old, who signed from Chelsea this summer, made his United debut on Wednesday night as the Red Devils beat Sampdoria 2-1 in a Dublin-based friendly.

Matic was on the field for 45 minutes in what was his only appearance during a pre-season disrupted by his £40million transfer.

Midfielder Nemanja Matic will try to be 100 per cent fit for the start of United's season

Midfielder Nemanja Matic will try to be 100 per cent fit for the start of United's season

Matic played 45 minutes as United beat Sampdoria 2-1 in a friendly on Wednesday evening
He played the entire first half at the Aviva Stadium

Matic played 45 minutes as United beat Sampdoria 2-1 in a friendly on Wednesday evening

'Yes it was nice,' he told official United media. 'It was nice to play in front of our supporters - I think there was a full stadium of Manchester supporters.


'That was special for me and I'm happy to make my debut for such a big club like Manchester United.

'It was strange [not playing in pre-season] because the team has played and had a good pre-season but, as you know, I trained alone in London.'

Despite his severe lack of game time, Matic is keen to be involved in United's early matches and could make his proper debut in the Super Cup.

Europa League holders United take on Champions League winners Real in Macedonia next week, before beginning their Premier League campaign with games against West Ham and Swansea.

Matic added: 'I will try to be 100 per cent ready. I will try hard. I hope that I will be an option for those games, but we will see.

'We still have six days but I'm sure that everybody is ready and I will try to be 100 per cent ready, and I hope that we can do something for this club.'

But it was the only match he played in a pre-season disrupted by a transfer from rivals Chelsea

But it was the only match he played in a pre-season disrupted by a transfer from rivals Chelsea

Matic turned his back on Chelsea last month when he completed a £40m move to Old Trafford

Matic turned his back on Chelsea last month when he completed a £40m move to Old Trafford

'I'm happy to make my debut for such a big club like Manchester United', he said this week

'I'm happy to make my debut for such a big club like Manchester United', he said this week

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