Why Nemanja Matic's move to Sassuolo is anything but a swansong for the veteran midfielder

There's not much Nemanja Matic hasn't experienced during his impressive football career. 

Having plied his trade in five of Europe's biggest leagues, including picking up two Premier League title wins at Chelsea, the Serbian was at a final crossroads following the cancellation of his contract at Lyon in August. 

At 37, there may have been a temptation to look to America or Saudi Arabia for one last hurrah, or even to hang up the boots altogether, but instead, the midfielder returned to Serie A and brought his experience to newly promoted Sassuolo. 

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It's Matic's second stint in Italy following a season with Roma in 2022-23 under Jose Mourinho, a manager he admits he has a 'special connection' with after playing under him for three different clubs, and it's a new challenge that he described as the ideal opportunity for him at this stage of his career. 

"It's exciting. I like the project, I like everything that the people from the club explained to me," Matic told DAZN. 

"I needed a new challenge, of course, and for me it looked like the perfect club for me in this moment.

"I saw everything around the club, the training centre, the stadium and the people that run the club.

"We have all the conditions to play well, to work well and, of course, to bring the results." 

Matic may see it as the perfect club for him, but it's also almost a perfect move for the club, too. Promoted back to the top flight at the first time of asking after winning Serie B last season, the combative midfielder with a CV of experience has exactly the kind of profile you want for a club expected to be fighting against relegation. 

In the same vein as Granit Xhaka's move to Sunderland to some extent, Jordan Henderson rocking up at Brentford, Matic is a proven winner in the middle of the park and offers nous that could be pivotal in Fabio Grosso's side staying in the division. 

So far, the club are faring ok back in the big league. They had the tricky task of playing champions Napoli on the opening weekend, but have won two of the opening five games - against Lazio and Udinese - and gave Inter a run for their money in a 2-1 defeat. 

In fact, it was only the loss to Como, where Sassuolo failed to really make an impression, the only game since the opener that Matic hasn't played a part in. 

But Matic isn't here for a swansong that sees him in a relegation scrap; he believes his new side have everything to compete at this level. 

"Of course, we need to respect every team," he says. 

"But also, we need to know that we have a quality. We need to believe in our qualities and we need to believe that we can play anyone.

"I think that me, with my experience and my quality, I think that I can help the team to be better." 

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Making teams better brings the conversation back to Mourinho, with whom Matic has become synonymous with during his career. Playing under the Portuguese for Chelsea, Manchester United and in Rome, he credits the manager with turning him into a winner 

Adding, "I have, of course, a special connection with him. 

"He's tough. You know, he's also a bit of old school like my father, but it was amazing. I think that with him, I grow as a man, of course, I learn how to fight more and to be a winner, which is very important.

"He's the coach who's probably changed the football."

Next, Matic takes that winning mentality to Verona on Friday, looking to make it back-to-back wins for his new club ahead of the international break against a side who are yet to record a victory this season. 

After that? Well, with the Serbian anchoring things in the middle, there could be a few more eyebrow raisers from Sassuolo this season. 

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