Chelsea broke transfer records to strengthen the squad, but find themselves in the gray midfield of the Premier League at the beginning of March. Manager Graham Potter is under pressure, partly due to criticism from the fans. The coach understands that all too well.
Chelsea played eleven games in the new year, only winning once. Extra painful, given the total expenditure of about six hundred million euros. The gap with the number four in the Premier League – good for Champions League football – is now fourteen points.
There is considerable dissatisfaction among Chelsea fans and at the press moment towards the game with Leeds United, Potter expressed his understanding. “The fans care about the club. They show emotion and it makes sense for this to come out. We suffer, but know that the supporters suffer as well. If you lose a home game to the last team, you expect disappointment. I’m not going to complain about the fans, they are honest and support us. We didn’t give enough to get them excited,” he said.
Chelsea has the Champions League as a reference, but it has to make up for a deficit. In the first leg in the eighth final, Borussia Dortmund was 0-1 too strong. The return match will be played in London on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo named Player of the Month
Speaking of failing to make it to the Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo was named Player of the Month in Saudi Arabia in February. The Portuguese crowned a very strong month with an individual prize.
Ronaldo started his adventure in the Middle East with two goalless games in January, but in February the top scorer scored eight goals. He scored his very first goal in the service of Al-Nassr against Al-Fateh on February 3 and was really loose then. In the very next match, Al-Wehda fell victim to Ronaldo’s goal-scoring drive, equalizing four.
The month also ended in style, as Ronaldo scored his second league hat-trick. Damac FC, where Adam Maher played, had no chance against the Portuguese. A new football month starts on Friday evening for Ronaldo, he has a basic place in the home game against Al-Batin.
