Chelsea assistant Gianfranco Zola has urged embattled Spanish striker Alvaro Morata to accept ‘you’re not playing for Southampton or Brighton’.
Morata has been written off as a flop by the English Press, given his return of just 22 goals on Chelsea’s €66m investment in the summer of 2017, fuelling speculation that he could move on in January.
“No,” Zola replied when asked if he had any sympathy for the ex-Real Madrid forward with regards to the pressure he was under.
“It should be a motivational thing. You are at Chelsea. You’re not playing for Southampton or Brighton, with all due respect for those clubs.
“People expect a lot from the No 9 of Chelsea. This is normal and Álvaro has to get used to it.
“If he goes to another big club, it’s going to be the same. There is no way you can avoid your responsibilities.
“It’s part of your job and the better you can handle those situations, the better you’re going to be.
“I know he feels he doesn’t score enough and he feels a lot of responsibility on that.
“He has to learn to leave everything behind because these are only burdens you take on the pitch and they won’t help you to perform better.”
