“Football is our life” – 23-year-old attacker opens up on ‘tough weeks’ in personal life after Chelsea struggles

Kai Havertz has detailed his uneasy personal life at home after a tough period at Chelsea which saw them win just three games in 17 matches in all competitions.

Chelsea’s struggles dated back to October 2022 when they were thrashed by Brighton & Hove Albion which started their decline and was the beginning of the mounting pressure.

Despite the World Cup break, Chelsea were unable to recover and prior to March, they had only won just one game since the turn of the year – a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on January 15.

Chelsea were under pressure to deliver results after a below-par 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of February. Matches against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund were critical, which saw them then travel to face Leicester City.

Potter’s side kept together and they managed to secure two huge wins over Leeds and Dortmund, seeing Chelsea progress into the Champions League quarter-finals, and they wanted to back it up against Leicester, which they did.

Havertz played his part in the 3-1 win at the King Power Stadium. The Germany international lifted the ball over Danny Ward in first half stoppage to net Chelsea’s second of the afternoon after an exquisite scooped assist from Enzo Fernandez.

It was a relieving week for Chelsea. They were rewarded for their unity and togetherness to overcome the difficult period, to win three games in a row and build the positive mood inside the dressing room.

“He’s in a really good place,” head coach Graham Potter said of Havertz at full-time.

“Throughout the difficult period he’s given everything. When you know you’ve got Kai’s quality, if you do that, things turn around for you. That’s what it’s done for him. It’s a reward for his hard work.”

Chelsea’s struggles off the field have been well documented by Potter among others and Havertz revealed his difficult period at home, which he admits has seen his family and friends suffer from the club’s dismal run over the last few months.

“Football is our life,” Havertz told the Evening Standard after their win on Saturday.

“If you lose a game, of course you don’t have an easy life. I think everyone at home, especially my girlfriend, has had some tough weeks as well the last weeks and months.”

He added: “I think she is happy now again and so am I. If you have a bad day at work… you… I won’t say the word now but you don’t feel good.

“Football is a game where we have a lot of pressure on our shoulders. We want to make the fans happy and if you don’t make them happy then you don’t have a good time.

“Winning is always the best, we won again so we can enjoy some days.”

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