Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has lifted the lid on his difficult first season in English football, admitting there were times he didn't want to speak to anyone.
The Spaniard scored 11 goals in 31 appearances following his arrival from Real Madrid, a final total that was disappointing given he netted seven in his first seven.
'I've learned many things from last season. It was very difficult for me,' Morata told Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
'I left home to play the World Cup and I wasn't included in the squad anyway.
'Now that my two sons are born I can control my emotions a bit better, both the positive and negative ones. I am happy when I am outside the pitch.'
Morata went on to admit that he sometimes struggles to deal with his emotions while playing for Chelsea, and was upset during the second half of the season.
'I'd like to be happier when I play,' he continued. 'I need to score more goals in order to be happier. I was really sad a few months ago.
'I wasn't depressed but I didn't live my situation very well. People used to love me, I scored seven goals in the first seven games at Chelsea.
'Then I got injured and I was playing even if I was feeling pain. There was lot of tension and I didn't want to speak to anybody.
'One day my wife told that I wasn't handling the situation in the right way. I was angry because I thought she was against me too.'
Morata now has two sons, Alessandro and Leonardo, after his wife Alice Campello gave birth on July 29.
The striker has since changed his squad number from nine to 29 to honour his children, and he has scored twice in his last two appearances for Chelsea.
ssure
200
I always there was something not right about this lad mental state. His defeated body language only gave the wrong signals to opposition defenders. While his movement is good off the ball, the technical abilities are there but he needs to work on shootings and being clinical in front of the goal. Until Giroud remains the better option.
teefame_
174
Get back to your best form man and show them what u are really made of
Oracleer
160
Good to see that he's talking about his issues. Problems with spouse are often brushed under the carpet but become the major cause of stress. Let's not hate on the guy but give him the support he needs. A lot of geniuses here would be in the sam botched up frame of mind but yet would vent out their frustrations at the player, keyboard bullies them all..