Maurizio Sarri has admitted Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain lacks full fitness despite deciding to start him in the 4-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Wednesday night.
Chelsea fans booed the Italian manager’s decision to substitute the player despite his poor Premier League debut without having registered a shot on target.
Five things to know about Gonzalo Higuain…
- Born in Brest, France, Higuain plays for the Argentinian national side and has got 75 caps scoring 31 goals.
- He grew up through the youth ranks of River Plate and made his European debut for Real Madrid aged 20, in 2007.
- At Real Madrid, he won the La Liga on three occasions as well as a Copa del Rey and two Supercopa de España’s.
- Higuain broke a 66-year-old record during his 2015/16 season with Napoli registering 36 league goals in one season.
- At the time of his transfer to Juventus in 2016, he was the most expensive South American footballer of all time at £81 million.
Although Chelsea fell to their heaviest defeat in 23 years against Bournemouth, fans shouldn’t be too alarmed with Higuain’s early showings.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, Sarri said after the defeat: “He can improve a great deal.
“At this moment, he is not in good shape, probably because he has played very little recently between transfer market distractions and back pain.
“He can grow a great deal over the next few weeks.”
During his time at Napoli, Sarri and his team were lauded for their fast-paced and dynamic brand of football known as ‘Sarrismo’.
Central to this was the goalscoring clout of Higuain who broke a long-standing Serie A record, netting 36 goals in a single season, and spearheaded Sarri’s men to a second-place finish behind Juventus.
Sarri and Higuain are reunited after their hugely successful season together at Napoli, leading to high expectations from Chelsea fans.
Higuain’s opening performances shouldn’t cause for panic. When Sarri arrived in Naples and began working with the former Real Madrid man, he pointed out how lazy he felt the player was.
Sarri told Sky Sports Italia at the time:”What did I say to Higuain in pre-season? I told him he was too lazy, and if he didn’t change his attitude, he’d never become the best centre-forward in the world.
“He in part agreed with that consideration, as he couldn’t get 100 percent out of his capabilities. We spoke clearly, so this turned into an honest and direct rapport that probably helps motivate him.”
By implementing a scoring system in training, Sarri pushed the Argentinian and his drive manifested on the field when he helped Napoli to within nine points of winning the league.
Chelsea fans will be hoping for more of the same. Although not fully fit and reportedly carrying a niggling injury, Sarri knows how to get the best out of his man and, beginning to feel the pressure himself, will be eager to do so.
Higuain was once dubbed “the best centre forward in the world” by Sarri and his goalscoring ability has yet to come under too much question. Whether he can replicate his Napoli form in England is another question, but being under Sarri’s watchful eye is at least a good start.
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