One the one hand, it’s easy to feel some sympathy for Antonio Valencia, who, like a slow-burn arthouse drama released in the same week as a mega-money superhero blockbuster, has seen his most impressive season yet for Manchester United utterly eclipsed by the headline-hoarding debut campaign of one Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
On the other, though, there’s something apt about Valencia taking a backseat for far glitzier affairs. He might be a standout performer at a footballing superpower, but it’s fair to say that the Ecuadorian likes to keep his excellence low-key.
During United’s past half-decade of wild flux, Valencia has been one of the few consistents, a reassuringly dependable presence under Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho. Each of those managers had their own style, system and selections, but all identified Valencia as a trusted accomplice. Among the entire United squad, only David de Gea, a player effectively without competition, can also claim to have been part of the first-choice XI under all four coaches.
Alex Hess.
Full story at Yahoo News.
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