Brazilian winger says there were days he went without eating and stayed locked in his room
Antony has revealed that he struggled physically and mentally at Manchester United, even going days without eating. The Brazilian winger struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford and due to very poor form he went out on loan to Real Betis in January.
In an interview with TNT Sports Brazil, Antony said: “[Coming to Betis] changed a lot because I needed to find myself, because of everything I went through in my personal life.
“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. He told me to hold on a little longer, that things were going to change. 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.”
Since joining Real Betis, Antony has rediscovered his form, contributing nine goals and five assists across all competitions to help the club to the UEFA Conference League final and a sixth-place finish in La Liga.
Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini expressed confidence in Antony’s abilities, stating, “He has not surprised me because I knew him before from England.
“Also, when you buy a player for that amount of money [£87 million] it is not always because you made a mistake.
“Maybe there are some reasons why Antony could not play the way he knows at Manchester United, but that is another thing.”
