Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: Antony, Real Betis, Manchester United, Premier League
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Antony, Real Betis, Manchester United, Premier League
Antony was in tears at a recent media day as he opened up on going through "difficult times" at Manchester United, which included going days without eating and "not having the strength to even play with my son."
The 25-year-old, who joined Real Betis from United in January on a six-month loan deal, has scored eight goals in 24 matches across La Liga and the Europa Conference League.
It is an upturn in form that has earned plaudits. In fact, a number of clubs have expressed an interest in signing the Brazilian, including Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, who are reportedly considering a move this summer.
After joining the ranks at Old Trafford from Ajax in September 2022 for a reported £86 million, Antony notched just 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances for the Premier League club, which prompted a huge amount of criticism.
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Now, the in-form winger has opened up on his darkest moments at United, which included going for days without eating.
"[Coming to Betis] changed a lot because I needed to find myself, because of everything I went through in my personal life," Antony told TNT Sports Brazil.
"As I said, I wanted to do things, but they didn't seem to work out because I wasn't happy, I didn't feel that desire to play football, and I needed to find myself and be happy again because playing football was always something I loved.
"I went through difficult times [at Manchester United] when I no longer felt that pleasure. I even always told my brother, I told him that I couldn't take it anymore."
At this point in the interview, Antony broke down in tears as he discussed the impact it was having on his well-being.
"[My brother] told me to hold on a little longer, that things were going to change," he added. "It even made me emotional, because they were very hard days for me. Only I know what it was like to be there at home, not having the strength to even play with my son, going days without eating, staying locked in my room.
"So, for me it was very complicated, but thank God, with the help of my family and mainly with the help of God, I managed to get ahead and today I am very happy here."
Back in March, United manager Ruben Amorim gave his take on why the Brazilian has flourished at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, which brought a furious response from Antony's agent.
"When you play against any team in England, the physicality is there. If you don’t have physicality, you will struggle a lot," the Portuguese head coach said. "Antony is so much better now in Spain. It’s [because of] a lot of factors but I guarantee you it’s physicality."
A few days later and Antony's agent, Junior Pedroso, hit back at those comments with data to suggest Amorim's comments were off the mark.
Speaking to Spanish publication Marca, he began: "We respect the opinion of coach Ruben Amorim, but we completely disagree with his analysis.
"To attribute Antony's lack of success at Manchester United solely to a physical issue is a very superficial argument and out of touch with reality. Antony did not have enough prominence or the confidence needed to show his best football.
"Of the 15 games that Amorim managed at Manchester United, Antony only played in nine, with a total of 252 minutes played. This represents only 18.6% of the total possible minutes (1,350 minutes).
"How can you judge a player without a minimum sequence that demonstrates his worth?
"This statement, even if unintentional, ends up devaluing La Liga and the Spanish competitions. Spanish football has one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with top-level teams that constantly compete in the final stages of the Champions League and the Europa League."
Pedroso added: "The reality is that Antony, since arriving at Betis, has become one of the best players in the team and in the competition itself, demonstrating his full potential when given the right conditions to develop his game."