Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that the Premier League champions have “missed” Nemanja Matic’s “quality” in midfield after picking up injuries in the middle of the park, according to a report on FourFourTwo.
The Belgian shot-stopper believes that the midfield injuries have contributed to the loss of balance in the side, something which Matic was key for last season.
Chelsea have had a nightmare start to the season defensively and conceded three goals against Serie A side AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League group stage this week.
The Blues have conceded 10 times in the Premier League this season without Matiic, whereas Manchester United, who signed the Serbian for a fee which could rise to £40m, have only conceded four times.
The impact of the defensive midfielder is obvious, with United being a lot more balanced with his presence in midfield.
Courtois said:
He decided to go to another team, we won’t live in the past. He decided to leave, he left. We have two injuries in the midfield then obviously you could say we missed Nemanja. He is a quality player who is doing well at Manchester United. That’s not my decision to make [about selling him].
Selling Matic to a direct title rival baffled many people in the footballing world as it seriously weakened Chelsea and strengthened Man United massively.
Matic will return to Stamford Bridge this weekend for the clash between the two giant clubs in what is expected to be a fascinating game.
Comments.
Loading comments…