As the new season approaches, Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is reflecting on his first season at the club, and how he overcame the pressure of his £115m price tag to regain his Caicedo Confidence. The Ecuadorian, 22, joined the Blues from Brighton last August for a £100m fee that could rise to a British club record £115m following a bidding war involving Liverpool. Despite scoring only one goal and registering four assists in 48 games, Caicedo is determined to make a bigger impact in his second season.
Overcoming the Pressure of a Big Price Tag
Caicedo admits that the beginning of his Chelsea career was tough, with the pressure of his price tag weighing heavily on his mind. “The beginning was tough for me, because you are at a big club, the price, you always have to win every game,” he said. “It was tough for me because when I was in Brighton, the pressure is less. At Chelsea, it is different. I felt a lot of pressure because you know the club, the history, the players who were there.”
However, Caicedo credits a performance coach and his former manager Mauricio Pochettino with helping to raise his spirits. “A lot of people around me helped me – Mauricio and his staff. They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moises,” he said. “[I asked them] ‘Please help me because I want to show my quality, my football.’ They were with me. I have a person outside of the club who helped me a lot to get the pressure out of my mind.”
Regaining Confidence with the Help of a Performance Coach
Caicedo’s performance coach played a crucial role in helping him regain his confidence. “A guy I speak to regularly told me, ‘Moises, you are a good player, you can do whatever you want on the pitch with responsibility. Just trust in yourself. If Chelsea paid that [much money] for you, it’s because you are a very good player,'” he said. This advice helped Caicedo to focus on his game and not worry about the pressure of his price tag.
Learning to Trust Himself
Caicedo’s experience has taught him the importance of trusting himself and his abilities. “I have the quality and I know the player I am. But sometimes if you are not strong in your mind, it is difficult,” he said. By learning to trust himself, Caicedo has been able to regain his confidence and perform at a higher level.
A New Season and a New Manager
With the new season approaching, Caicedo is looking forward to working with new manager Enzo Maresca. “He plays like the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same. He wants me to show my quality, to have good personality, to show to my team-mates that I am the boss on the pitch,” he said.
Caicedo is excited about the prospect of playing for Maresca and is confident that he can make a bigger impact in his second season. “I am happy to be here and I am happy to play for Chelsea. I want to show my quality and help the team to win games,” he said.
Why Caicedo Chose Chelsea
Caicedo has revealed why he chose to join Chelsea over Liverpool, who had also agreed a £111m deal with Brighton. “Chelsea was with me for a couple of months. I could not miss out on them. Because they were with me in tough moments when Brighton didn’t want to let me go,” he said. “It was a difficult decision but, for sure, 100%, I knew I wanted to go to Chelsea.”
A Big Decision
Caicedo’s decision to join Chelsea was not taken lightly. He had to weigh up the pros and cons of joining a big club like Chelsea, and consider the pressure that would come with it. However, he is confident that he made the right decision and is looking forward to the new season.
The Future of Chelsea
With a new manager and a new season approaching, Caicedo is excited about the future of Chelsea. “I think we have a good team and we can do big things. We have to work hard and be focused, but I think we can achieve great things,” he said.
Caicedo’s confidence is not just limited to his own game, but also to the team as a whole. He believes that Chelsea have the potential to win big trophies and is looking forward to being a part of it.