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Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has lifted the lid on just how demanding the Premier League is compared with other top European competitions.
The Moroccan international, who joined United from Bayern Munich in 2024, played 57 matches in his debut season — more than he had managed in the previous two and a half years combined.
“You hope to stay fit and play as much as possible. That hadn’t always been the case for me,” he told The National. “The Premier League is a bigger demand than other competitions, so you must take even more care of your body.”
Mazraoui admitted that the lack of a winter break was a particular challenge. “It was no winter break for me for the first time. Instead, you have even more games. Previously, I’d felt during end of November or at the start of December that your body is looking forward to a little break. In the Premier League, you don’t get that one. So that was a hard period.”
The step up in quality was also clear. “The speed of play, it’s high, but I think it has a lot to do also with the quality of the other teams – there’s a lot of quality in the Premier League.”
Despite the intensity, Mazraoui adapted quickly and has been widely praised inside the club. Multiple United insiders have even described him as their “best signing in years.”
