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It has been a tough few months for Juan Mata.

Two-time Chelsea player of the year, hero of Stamford Bridge, ­seemingly one of the first names on the team sheet.

Suddenly, that all changed.

Jose Mourinho returned for a second spell as the Blues' manager, publicly questioned Mata’s work off the ball and demanded the playmaker change his game to meet the new realities.

Others, perhaps with good reason, would have sulked, moaned, whinged, sent out smoke signals that they were not happy under the Special One, were considering their options.

But Mata is not like other players. Yes, he plays with a burning desire to win, wants to be on the pitch, cares when he is left on the sidelines.

Yet he also puts expectations on himself. Demands about his own conduct.

And when you are blessed with his ability and talent, as well as that determination, you carry a knowledge that, eventually, it will all come right.

When the Spaniard capped a superb display by exploding his right-footer past Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski on Tuesday, it felt like a turning point.

“I’ve been doing what I’ve done throughout my whole career,’’ insisted the midfielder. “I have always been a very positive person and tried to bring the positives from the hardest moments.

“My duty, what I have to do, is try my best in every training session, leave everything of me on the pitch. That’s how I can go to bed at the end of the day and be happy with myself. Throughout the last two seasons, I was trying to make myself a better player. Not just defending-wise, but attacking-wise as well.

“For example, I’ve trained a lot on my right foot, to make it better – I think you saw that the other night!

“I’ve tried to improve – defending, attacking, pressing, trying to think before a game, to be more clever, do something before the defender can think of it, to become a better player. That makes me feel good, that hunger to improve in every way.

(Image: Getty)

“But I never thought about my future. The only thing I think about is helping the team, respecting all my team-mates, not being selfish.

“If there are 24 players, everybody wants to play. If you’re not in the team you can’t do things that affect the rest of the team because of your behaviour.

“I respect my team-mates. They have been very nice with me in my difficult moments. And I have not given a thought to my future, because my future is the next game.’’

The idea he might try to pick a fight with Mourinho brought a dismissive shake of the head and a smile.

What has helped, he conceded, has been the response of the Chelsea supporters, who agree with virtually everything the Special One does, but harbour doubts over his call on the ‘Special Juan’.

“It makes me feel proud,’’ said Mata. “And I’m really grateful about that. Since I came here everything has gone really well for me and they’ve been behind me, always. And they still are, now.

“That feeling, the way everyone has responded to me, is amazing, in so many ways, too - on social media, when I’m walking in the street, around the stadium, they all show their love for me.

"It makes me feel stronger, because of them.’’

(Image: Getty)

The Chelsea fans, finally, are showing the same sort of love to another Spaniard who endured a tough time in SW6.

Mata hopes to be alongside ­Fernando Torres in the starting side at Newcastle on Saturday, and admitted his countryman and close friend’s emergence from his own periods of inner turmoil are a source of enormous personal delight.

He said: “I’m probably more happy for Fernando than he is himself. I know him very well, know that he went through some hard moments at this club.

“I was always very close to him because I was believing in him. He was believing in himself, too.

“He has a very strong, focused mind, always clear about his way forward. He deserves it. He’s trained very hard, very professionally and now he is scoring it has brought the confidence back.”

Mata wants only that same ­opportunity.

He knows it will come.

And when it does, his smile will be even brighter.

Juan Mata appeared at a photoshoot to promote Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, from Ubisoft, out now on Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3, then on 22nd November on Xbox One, PlayStation®4, WiiU™ and Windows PC. In the main photo Juan is styled as pirate assassin Edward Kenway.