Antony has criticised Manchester United for what he describes as a lack of respect during his final weeks at the club, revealing he was forced to train alone for over a month before his loan move to Real Betis. The Brazilian winger, who joined Betis on a permanent deal in the summer, said he was isolated from the first-team squad and received no basic courtesies such as 'good morning' or 'good afternoon'.
In an interview with ESPN, Antony explained that he reported back to Carrington on 14 July but was made to train separately for more than 40 days while the rest of the squad trained in the morning. He described the period as 'difficult' and 'scary', though he stopped short of naming individuals, saying he did not want to cause controversy.
Antony acknowledged his own shortcomings at United, stating: 'I take responsibility for not having succeeded, for not having performed as I wanted.' He attributed his struggles partly to off-field issues, including being separated from his son, whom he said he missed taking his first steps. However, he maintained that the treatment he received from the club was disrespectful.
The 24-year-old was one of five players, including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia, who were given extended holidays after expressing a desire to leave. Upon their return, they were made to train alone in what became known as the 'bomb squad'. Malacia was the only one not to find a new club and has since been reintegrated.
United received an initial €22 million (£19 million) for Antony, with potential add-ons of €3 million (£2.6 million). The club needed to sell him for £32.8 million to avoid a loss under Profit and Sustainability Rules, but Betis struggled to finance a permanent deal until the final day of the transfer window.
