Moisés Caicedo’s first season at Chelsea was a roller-coaster ride of pressure and development. The 22-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder signed from Brighton for a record £115m, which created a ton of expectations. Chelsea managed to finish only sixth in the English Premier League (EPL), even though the player scored one goal and recorded four assists in 48 games.
Moises Caicedo Reflects on Challenging First Season at Chelsea
Caicedo talked about the difficulties caused by the pressure of such a large club, and how encouragement from former manager Mauricio Pochettino and others brought him back. Young Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo shared his bittersweet experience during his first season at the club. At only 22, the Ecuadorian felt the pressure of high expectations to perform after signing from Brighton for a massive £115m fee. That could escalate to become the record for the British club after a tussle with Liverpool.
Caicedo scored one goal and created four more for his teammates in 48 appearances. Still, Chelsea struggled and only secured sixth place in the Premier League. Speaking about his experience, Caicedo said, “The beginning was very difficult for me because you are at such a big club, the price, you always have to win every game. And it was difficult for me because when I was in Brighton, I did not have such pressure. But at Chelsea it was different: I felt much pressure because of the club, the history, the players who were there.”
Caicedo’s Path to Confidence at Chelsea
From the start, Caicedo wasn’t very comfortable and only started to become more adjusted after several months. He confessed that he’d lost confidence, but vowed to surmount the mental barriers. Yes, confidence. “I have the quality and I know the player I am, but sometimes if you’re not strong in the mind, it’s difficult,” Caicedo concluded.
“I owe it to the former Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino, and a performance coach, for instilling the confidence back into me. Many people around me assisted me–Mauricio and his staff. They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moisés,” Caicedo admitted.
Moisés also received motivation from an outside trainer who kept telling him that he could, and that Chelsea believed in him. “One of the men I often converse with said to me, ‘Moisés: you are a good player. You can do whatever you want on the pitch, provided you are responsible for it. Just believe in yourself.’ If Chelsea paid that [much money] for you, it’s because you are a very good player,” the Ecuadorian recalled.
Caicedo’s Optimism on Upcoming Season
Looking forward to playing for the new team manager, Enzo Maresca, Caicedo expressed confidence moving into next season. The style of play that Maresca prefers reminds him of the time he studied at Brighton. “He plays the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same. He wants me to show him my qualities, to have a good personality, and to show my teammates that I am the king on the pitch,” Moisés emphasized.
Caicedo chose Chelsea over Liverpool because the Blues stood with him during his difficult times. “Chelsea was with me for a couple of months. I could not miss out on them. Because they were with me in the hard times when Brighton didn’t want to release me,” he said.
As Chelsea is set to play Real Madrid in the final friendly match on their U.S. tour, followed by Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge, Caicedo is more than capable of displaying his worth and helping his team to victory.
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