Just after leaving the club, Antony immediately criticized Manchester United.

Antony voiced his criticism regarding Manchester United’s treatment of players.

This past summer marked one of the worst periods in Antony’s career at Manchester United. The Brazilian winger left Old Trafford to join Real Betis, but before that, he endured a troubling time being placed in the so-called “bomb squad,” a group of stars excluded from coach Ruben Amorim’s plans.

In an interview with the Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Antony openly criticized how MU treated him and admitted feeling disrespected during his final days at Manchester. “Those months were extremely tough. I had to spend over 40 days living in a hotel, training separately… I felt undervalued at this club. But I don’t want to create controversy. That’s life. I’m still grateful to the club because, despite the bad moments, I also have good memories with two trophies.”

This group included notable names like Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, and Tyrell Malacia. These players were among the highest earners at MU, making up a large part of the wage bill, yet they were considered no longer useful. Amorim decided to have them train separately, even barring them from practicing at Carrington until the first team finished their sessions.

By the end of the transfer window, only Malacia remained. Hojlund, Rashford, and Sancho found new clubs on loan, while Garnacho moved permanently to Chelsea. Antony returned to Real Betis for a fee of £21.6 million, significantly less than the £85 million MU paid Ajax to sign him in 2022.

The 25-year-old also revealed that his family moved to Seville a few days before the contract was officially signed, preparing a home to settle in. Since returning to Betis, Antony has appeared four times, scoring one goal and providing one assist, both coming in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest in the Europa League.

Although he left MU quietly, Antony still harbors a big ambition: the 2026 World Cup. He was part of Brazil’s squad at the 2022 World Cup, playing in four matches. However, since a friendly against Morocco in March 2023, he has not been called up again.

“It’s a dream. I’ve played in the World Cup and, of course, I hope to be part of it a second time. It’s amazing to wear the national team jersey. I will keep working hard and hope to be included in the squad,”Antony shared.

Antony’s remarks once again highlight the tense atmosphere at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach’s decision to “clear out” major stars sparked much controversy, with Antony’s case clearly illustrating the downside of this policy.