Andre Onana has mocked Nemanja Matic for failing to win a trophy at Manchester United – after the Serbian branded him ‘one of the worst goalkeepers’ in the club’s history.
The two stars are embroiled in a feud going into United’s Europa League quarter-final clash with Matic’s current club Lyon on Thursday.
It began with Onana claiming that United are ‘better than’ their opponents, with Matic, who left Old Trafford in 2022, hitting back with his brutal reply about him being worse than most Red Devils goalkeepers.
Onana has clarified his comments about Lyon but taken a dig at Matic’s five trophyless years with United in a post on X.
He wrote: ‘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.’
Andre Onana (left) and Nemanja Matic (right) are embroiled in a bitter war of words
Matic branded Onana ‘one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United history’ after the goalie said that the Red Devils were a ‘better team’ than his current club, Lyon
Andre Onana has hit back, mocking Matic for winning no trophies at United in a five-year spell
Previewing the tie, Onana had initially said Lyon are a ‘very good team’ but that ‘I think we are better than them’.
And that comment prickled Matic, 36, who hit back: ‘To say that, you need to have cover to say something like that. Onana, I respect everyone, but to say that, then you need to give an answer.
‘If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United history, you need to take care what you are talking about.
‘If David de Gea, or Peter Schmeichel, or (Edwin) Van der Sar said that, then I will question myself.
‘But if you are one of the statistically worst goalkeepers in Man United modern history, he needs to show that (they’re better) before he says.’
The pair have never played together, but it comes amid scrutiny of Onana following a series high-profile errors since joining United in 2023 for £47million from Inter Milan.
Matic spent five seasons at Old Trafford, accumulating 189 appearances, although he was unable to build on the two Premier League titles, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup that he won with Chelsea.
Onana, meanwhile, has won both domestic cups once so far, and could add the Europa League to that haul.
Onana has been criticised for a series of high-profile errors since joining United in 2023
United are preparing to face Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa league, their last hope of silverware
Man United goalkeepers to have played 900+ mins since 2003-04 ranked by save percentage
Goalkeepers to have played 900+ mins since 2003-04 ranked by clean sheet percentage
According to Opta, Onana has the worst clean sheet percentage and the second-worst save percentage of any United goalkeeper to have played 900+ minutes since the 2003-04 season.
The Cameroonian has conceded 99 goals in 69 Premier League appearances, saved 70.1 per cent of the shots he has faced, and kept a clean sheet just 18 times – a 26.1 percentage.
Only Anders Lindegaard has a worse save percentage among the group of goalkeepers.
United sit 13th in the Premier League and are on course for their worst-ever finish since the top flight’s rebrand in 1992.
Lyon, meanwhile, sit fifth in Ligue 1 and could easily finish as high as second, although there have been concerns over their financial situation.
Onana’s initial comments in full read: ‘It’s a very good team. We know some of them but I don’t think we have to focus on them. It’s more about us, what we’re going to do.
‘I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are. If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, stay compact and together and we follow the game plan we will be winning the game.
‘Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them. We all know the importance of this game, we will go there with the winning mentality, it’s not our best season but we still have something to win and we will go for it.’
