Antony considered retiring during dire Man Utd spell

Antony has admitted he considered retiring from football during his underwhelming spell with Manchester United, adding he has "found himself" since joining Real Betis.

Antony joined United for a reported fee of £85million in 2022, linking up with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

But the Brazilian struggled for form in the Premier League, only registering five goals and three assists in 62 appearances in the competition.

After Ten Hag was sacked in October, Antony was frozen out by new boss Ruben Amorim and allowed to join Betis on a half-season loan in January.

He has looked a player reborn since arriving in Seville, helping Betis finish sixth in LaLiga and reach the Conference League final, where they will face Chelsea on Wednesday.

In an interview with TNT Sports Brazil in the build-up to that game, Antony opened up on how his struggles at Old Trafford affected him off the pitch.

"I always say that I had good moments, but I had very difficult moments too. Not only on the field but off it," he said. 

"I went through some very difficult times there that ended up affecting me a lot. But I am very grateful even for these difficult moments that I went through. Today, I feel much more mature, much more prepared, I feel much better.

"It was a moment when I thought about stopping playing. I no longer felt that desire to play football because of everything I was going through."

Antony has been involved in seven goals in eight Conference League appearances for Betis (four goals, three assists), having scored just two goals – and failed to supply an assist – in 17 European appearances with United.

"My career has changed a lot," Antony said. "It changed a lot because I needed to find myself, for everything I went through there in my personal life. 

"I wanted to do things, but it seemed like it wasn't happening because I wasn't happy, I wasn't feeling that desire to play football any more, and I needed to find myself.

"Only I know what it was like inside the house, not even having the strength to even play with my son, having days without eating, staying in my room."

Wednesday's match will be Betis' first major European final.

They are the 12th Spanish club to appear in their maiden European showpiece and the first since Villarreal in 2020-21, who won the Europa League on penalties against United.