Chelsea's Alvaro Morata has earned a recall for his country's Uefa Nations League games against England and Croatia. Getty Images
Chelsea's Alvaro Morata has earned a recall for his country's Uefa Nations League games against England and Croatia. Getty Images
Chelsea's Alvaro Morata has earned a recall for his country's Uefa Nations League games against England and Croatia. Getty Images
Chelsea's Alvaro Morata has earned a recall for his country's Uefa Nations League games against England and Croatia. Getty Images

Alvaro Morata considered leaving Chelsea after poor first season


  • English
  • Arabic

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata considered leaving the club this summer after calling his first season in English football "a disaster".

Morata, 25, who joined the Blues from Real Madrid last year, enjoyed a flying start to life at Stamford Bridge, but could not build on it and found himself out of the side.

He scored just three times in 23 games in the second half of the season and missed out on Spain's World Cup squad as a result.

And Morata, who has earned a recall for his country's Uefa Nations League games against England and Croatia, thought about leaving the Premier Club in favour of a return home or a move to Italy.

Willian on win against Bournemouth

"I thought about playing again in Spain or Italy, of course I thought it would have been happy, but you cannot always escape from reality," he told the Spanish media. "It was a disaster last year, I did not know where I was, I was not happy.

"Not going to the World Cup was hard for me. I did not have the best season and the coach made the decision. I signed for Chelsea to be there and I was not, although that ultimately made me motivated.

"I do not hold a grudge against [former Spain manager Julen] Lopetegui, I've lived a lot of nice things with him, too, it was his opinion and I did not do my best season either.

"But I do not hold a grudge against anyone, I wish him all the best and more now that he is at Real Madrid."

______________

Read more:

Steve Luckings: Manager Maurizio Sarri's style 'better for me' says Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata

Steve Luckings: Sarri's faith good news for one England international, not so good for another

______________

Morata, who has won 23 caps, conceded he took his international career for granted and was left heartbroken by missing out in Russia this summer.

"I experienced it. It was a very hard moment that has already happened and it's not worth looking at the past," he added. "I'm going to do everything I can to go to the next one. It was a difficult moment because I thought I was going to go.

"When you start playing football and watch the World Cups on TV, it's your biggest dream to play it with your country, I had a very bad time, I wanted my teammates to win it but of course I wanted to be there and it was a very difficult moment.

"There are times I have stopped valuing coming here. You do not think about it until you see the national team matches from your home and you know that it is the greatest thing to be with Spain.

"I hope to come for all the games."

Under-21 European Championship Final

Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)

Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes

Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk