Benitez compares Mata to Zola

Rafael Benitez has praised Juan Mata for his incredible season with the Blues and has compared the Spanish playmaker to Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola.
I’m not really sure why Mata hasn’t been talked about as a potential Player of the Year contender considering his performances and numbers this season but his manager has hailed his impact and recognises him as a special talent.
Quoted in The Sun, Benitez said:

“Game intelligence, that’s the key. Juan’s very clever, finds space and technically he’s very good. He has good vision and scores goals.
“These players are difficult to find. He likes to play between the lines, behind the midfielders and in front of the centre-backs.
“Gianfranco Zola was this kind of player, not the biggest but he had game intelligence and could get into the box at the right time.”

                 

He added:

“Juan has assists, goals and has played a lot of games.
“When you are playing for a team who only play one game a week you can be good but he has been playing two games a week for months and is doing really well.
“He’s a really good professional and his numbers are fantastic.
“In terms of his performance on the pitch and in training sessions, it’s not a surprise because we knew him.”