Chelsea's number one striker and record signing, who hasn’t quite lived up to the billing and pressures and demands of either of those labels, has admitted to making a mistake by trying to play through the back injury he had first suffered in December.
After an initial one-match rest, Alvaro Morata tried to press on, only to make the matter worse, leading to fears from the head coach that he might even miss the rest of the season. The problem persisted throughout the winter, despite visits to a specialist in Germany, with Morata only recently finding some decent form once again.
“Everything was good until I had the problems with my back. I played with a lot of pain and it probably would have been better if I’d stopped.
“But I wanted to play with my team-mates, for the club and the fans. Now it’s in the past. My first year could have been better, but there are still more games to go and we have a chance to win the FA Cup.”
It’s a nice sentiment, that he was determined to prove himself and not let the club and the fans down, but he managed to do just the opposite (and in the process add plenty of speculation about his form, or his mental strength, or his happiness).
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, certainly, and what’s done is done. All we (and Morata) can do now is look to the future, both immediate and longer-term. This season has not gone according to plan, but Morata sounds happy enough at the club, so hopefully his second year will.
“It is a pleasure.
The dressing room is very good, there are a lot of very good people. Everyone has helped me to improve and adapt. If I want to know about a restaurant or something, I ask my team-mates. Davide Zappacosta brings me to the training ground. I have a very good relationship with all my team-mates. I think it’s very good.”
-Alvaro Morata; source: Evening Standard
For anyone following them on Instagram, the Morata-Zappacosta bromance is certainly a highlight of the 2017-18 season, even if neither managed to convince consistently on the pitch.
I mean just look at them!
Can't wait for Zappacosta and Morata link-up today pic.twitter.com/IWeaAvhUeJ
— Xword123 CFC⚽ (@OMSOllieMicheal) April 8, 2018
Onward and upward!