Turin: Juventus striker Alvaro Morata has asked more people to talk about mental health openly. The Spaniard admitted that he ‘came close’ to suffering from depression during his difficult season-and-a-half spell at Stamford Bridge.
In 2017, Morata signed for Chelsea in a then club-record £58 million ($79m) from Real Madrid, but the striker could not live up to expectations of his price tag. He scored 24 goals from 72 games.
Two years later, Morata left Chelsea for Atletico Madrid, before joining his former club Juventus. At Atletico Madrid, he netted 22 goals in 61 games. For Juventus, he has been a key figure scoring 16 times in 34 games.
“I’ve never had depression and I hope I never do, but I came close,” Morata said in an interview. “I don’t believe it is given the importance that it should. When your head doesn’t work well, you are your worst enemy. During those times, it doesn’t matter what you do, you are always fighting against yourself. Depression is an illness just like breaking your ankle.”
“Even for my generation, in recent years, it wasn’t seen as something normal to see a psychologist – but inevitably, it has to be something normal. Today it is more common and there will be a day when it will be compulsory. There are people that go through difficult times.
“Had I had a professional, close to me during my [first season] at Chelsea, I think it would have gone better for me,” he said.
