Chelsea winger Pedro has won just about everything there is to win – except the confidence of the coaches and fans. After making a £19 million transfer move from Barcelona in the waning hours of last summer’s transfer window, Pedro struggled to make an impact for Chelsea, scoring seven goals and two assists in 29 Premier League appearances. Following the rough season, Pedro explained how the transition to English football was difficult for him.
In an interview with panish radio station Onda Cero, per the Express, Pedro revealed that adjusting to the English culture, timezone and language was hard and that the struggles that nearly sent the club to the relegation zone around Christmas were exceptionally hard to deal with.
“Leaving Barca was very hard for me, but my situation there was clear,” Pedro said.
“My chances at Barca were over and I had to make the decision but of course I feel nostalgia for Barca, I have spent many years there.
“The first months in London were hard – you change the culture, language, time zone… it’s complicated.
“At Christmas we almost got to be in the relegation zone and at a club like Chelsea, we can’t let it happen.”
Chelsea sacked manager Jose Mourinho in mid-December. They were later eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16 by Paris Saint-Germain before being eliminated in the FA Cup quarter-finals several days later.
Pedro did express cautious optimism that incoming manager Antonio Conte will make the kind of changes to turn the team around.
“Now with Conte there will be a reshuffle and a change in the team’s style and hopefully it goes well.”
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