即將來到的2017-18賽季對於安東尼奧·瓦倫西亞來說將是一個巨大的里程碑。在英超賽場上代表曼聯出場292次後，這名強壯的後衛即將達成英超登場300次的記錄，這是對他紅魔生涯的肯定。

瓦倫西亞已經在曼聯隊中奪得過9座冠軍獎盃，而就在步入他在曼聯的第九個賽季時，他迫切希望能夠增加自己的獎盃數量。在美國接受採訪時，瓦倫西亞告訴我們，目前曼聯隊中人員配備以及狀態都非常好，作為一支本就十分強大自信和積極的隊伍，加上新援加入，主教練穆里尼奧的指導，紅魔將是奪取冠軍的有力競爭者。

「自信是肯定的，我們在上賽季里奪得三座冠軍獎盃，而現在我們想要更多。隊中每一個人都休整的很好，而且我們也有了新的決心。我們在美國的時候訓練的很刻苦，但是我們很團結，我們都想在新的賽季里取得更大的成功。」

羅梅盧·盧卡庫的來到加強了曼聯的鋒線實力，而這位比利時國腳在訓練中的表現以及季前熱身賽的進球也迅速影響到了新的隊友。而今夏簽下的這名體型上非常吸引眼球的，壯如浩克的新援使得如同坦克一般的瓦倫西亞也在體型和力量上相形見下。

「盧卡庫在之前效力的俱樂部中就表現得很出色。」瓦倫西亞笑著說：「我和盧卡庫站在一起就像個小孩子一樣！他是真的很強壯。不管在健身房還是在球場上，他作為一個集實力，力量以及頭腦於一身的球員，非親眼所見真的難以相信。我希望他的來到能對曼聯以及他本人都有好處。」

曾在英超賽場上多次直面盧卡庫，而後又與之一同訓練了六周時間的瓦倫西亞在回答中堅信羅梅盧絕對是後衛線的噩夢。這名31歲的老將靦腆的笑說：「他是真的很強壯，但是他在球場上移動的速度也很快。如果我是防守方球員，我可不想盯防羅梅盧。」

那麼問題來了，不關比賽輸贏或者獎盃得失，如果在瓦倫西亞和盧卡庫之間進行一次扳手腕比賽，誰會贏呢？瓦倫西亞很快承認到：「我想他會贏，畢竟他太強壯了。

The 2017/18 season will bring up a big milestone for Antonio Valencia. With 292 Manchester United appearances under his belt going into the Premier League campaign, the buccaneering full-back will soon hit the 300 mark, the preserve of Reds servants only of a certain standing.

But when sitting down with Inside United during the club’s pre-season tour in the USA, it was clear that Antonio won』t be focusing on personal achievements, impressive as that 300-mark may be. No, the thing that motivates him is simple: winning trophies. It’s a theme he returns to time and again during our chat, and it’s abundantly clear that it’s the silver stuff that keeps his fires burning.

Valencia already has nine trophies as a United player, but going into his ninth season he desperately wants to increase that haul. And as he told us in the States, he has strong belief that the club is in shape to challenge on all trophy fronts, with Jose Mourinho’s ideas and methods firmly embedded, and extra firepower added to what was already a powerful, confident and motivated squad.

「The confidence is very good,」 he states. 「We won three trophies last season and we want more this time around. Everybody had a good break and we have come back with renewed determination. Our training in the US was hard, but we are all together and want to achieve more success this season.」

Romelu Lukaku is the man who has bolstered that forward line the most and the Belgium international is quickly making a big impact on his team-mates, primarily due to his scoring form in pre-season and sharp performances in training. Furthermore, the summer signing’s hulking frame has also caught the eye and the similarly tank-like Valencia is humbled by such size and power.

「Lukaku has done a great job with the clubs that he has been at,」 Antonio says. 「I am a kid next to Romelu! [Laughs] He truly is strong. I have seen him work on the field and in the gym. It’s truly incredible to see his strength, power and the intelligence he possesses. We hope it is a good year for him and the team.」

Having faced Lukaku many times in the Premier League before, and trained with him for the last six weeks, Valencia is certain in his response when asked if Romelu is a defender’s worst nightmare. 

「Definitely,」 the 31-year-old explains with a knowing smile. 「He is strong, but he also has good movement around the field and if I am playing as a defender then I would not like to play against him!」

The big question, of course, is not about winning football matches or trophies, but who would win in an arm wrestle between Valencia and Lukaku! 「I think he would,」 Antonio concedes. 「He is too strong!」

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