Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech Opens Up About Early Struggles and Adaptation to Premier League

In an interview, Hakim Ziyech said the first six months were difficult for him at Chelsea. "I started with an injury, I came back and then I got injured again. Things didn’t go as I had hoped," according to the British newspaper The Sun. He also noted his difficulty in getting used to the game strategy developed in London, completely different from the one he knew with Ajax Amsterdam.

In addition to this factor, there is that of distance. Being away from his family, his friends, was quite difficult. "I’m used to having my friends and my mother around me. It took me some time to get used to being without them, and of course the lockdown made things worse. On top of that, I had to learn to drive on the other side of the road. I didn’t have any accidents, but it was very difficult at first."

Regarding his relationship with Chelsea’s new coach, Hakim Ziyech explains that it is a matter of "seeing the game system" that Thomas Tuchel favors. "I don’t mind playing on the right wing or in midfield, as long as I can play. That’s the main thing for me."

The Moroccan international joined Chelsea last summer from Ajax Amsterdam for an estimated amount of over 43 million Euros. Since then, he has made 18 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals. But he has only played once in four games since Frank Lampard was replaced at the helm of the team, the same source specifies.