Former Man Utd star Juan Mata to play in Hanoi for AFC Champions League Two
VOV.VN -Former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata will play at Hang Day Stadium as his current club, Melbourne Victory FC, face Vietnam’s The Cong-Viettel in the AFC Champions League Two 2026/27 season.
According to the group stage draw, The Cong-Viettel are placed in Group E alongside FC Seoul (Republic of Korea), Melbourne Victory (Australia), and the winner of the play-off tie between Persib Bandung (Indonesia) and Manila Digger (Philippines).
The presence of the World Cup-winning Spanish star in the Melbourne Victory squad makes the upcoming match against The Cong-Viettel a major highlight of the group stage for local football fans.
Juan Mata developed through Real Madrid’s youth academy before playing professionally for Valencia. He later enjoyed a distinguished career in the English Premier League with Chelsea and Manchester United, winning major honors including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, and League Cup.
According to Transfermarkt, the 38-year-old veteran has made nearly 700 club appearances, scoring 148 goals and providing 166 assists, with a current market valuation of 350,000 euros. Following his spell in Europe, the Spanish midfielder went on to play for Galatasaray, Vissel Kobe, and Western Sydney Wanderers before joining Melbourne Victory.
The Cong-Viettel will host Melbourne Victory at Hang Day Stadium on September 16, 2026, before traveling to Australia for the return fixture on November 25. The group stage runs from September 15 to December 9, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the round of 16.
Manchester United legends arrive in Vietnam for exchange, friendly matches
VOV.VN - Manchester United legends Teddy Sheringham, Wes Brown, and Dion Dublin, accompanied by 10 academy players, have arrived in Vietnam to take part in a series of fan engagement activities and prepare for friendly matches in Hanoi and Da Nang.
