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Bastian Schweinsteiger joined Manchester United in the summer of 2015 amid much fanfare. Disappointingly for him, the club and their fans, his stint with the Red Devils didn't turn out to be as successful as desired before he moved to Chicago Fire in the MLS in 2017.
Although Schweinsteiger made 31 appearances across competitions in his first season at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho's arrival ahead of the 2016-17 season heralded the German's rapid decline. That season, Schweinsteiger only made 4 appearances across competitions and was frozen out of the side by Mourinho.
Speaking on Manchester United's official podcast, Schweinsteiger opened up about his time at Manchester United and confirmed that he had been banned from the dressing room, as well as forced to train with the club's U23 squad.
Recollecting a 'strange' incident on his 32nd birthday and the subsequent conversation with Mourinho, he said:
"It was very strange on my birthday I came to the dressing room wanted to change but then someone told me I'm not allowed to go in, and I had to change in the dressing room and had to play with the second team.
"I was very hurt because no one was talking to me. Then I was speaking to Mourinho about it and he explained something to me something which I really did not understand and it had to do with the second injury that I got.
"My first injury I got the season before I got treated by the medical department of United and then in an easy training session I got the same injury so I asked Louis van Gaal if I could get treated in Germany because we had the Euros in 2016 coming up and it was always agreed to that.
"So I did that, I was fit, I played the Euros, I was looking forward to coming to United to play with Mourinho who twice actually wanted to buy me with Inter Milan in 2010 and then later on at [Real] Madrid."
Schweinsteiger admits he respected Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho but didn't understand him
The 37-year-old further discussed his equation with Mourinho and admitted that he lost a bit of love towards the club due to the way things ended.
Speaking about Mourinho and the 'great pain' he endured at Old Trafford, Schweinsteiger said:
"I had a lot of respect for him, obviously, but I did not understand the situation why I was not allowed to train or play with the first team.
"There were some different opinions about me being professional which is not true because I am professional - I showed it later on I was always training with the kids or alone.
"Mourinho apologized and said he made a mistake which of course was nice but I lost my heart and love a little bit towards the club, not the fans, not players, not the people who live in Manchester, it was not easy.
"If I want to do something I want to do it with my full heart and energy. But it hurt me so much it was great pain for me and I couldn't really trust (the club)."
