Moises Caicedo Blames US Pitches for Chelsea’s Woeful Pre-Season Form

Moises Caicedo has attempted to explain Chelsea’s disappointing pre-season performances by pointing fingers at the quality of the pitches in the USA.

The Blues, currently on a tour of America, have had a mixed bag of results. They were held to a surprising 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham AFC in California and suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Scottish giants Celtic.

While Chelsea did secure a 3-0 victory over Mexican outfit Club America, they were outclassed by Premier League champions Manchester City, losing 4-2 at Ohio Stadium.

As they gear up for their next clash against Real Madrid in North Carolina, Caicedo was asked to shed light on Chelsea’s underwhelming form stateside. His response was to blame the poor pitch conditions, sparking debate among fans and pundits alike.

Instead of the Ecuadorian international taking any kind of accountability, Caicedo, who has largely struggled at Stamford Bridge since his big-money move last year, hit out at the ‘dry’ pitches.

‘It’s not the same to play as in Europe as the pitches are so good in Europe and here they are not so good,’ the Ecuador international midfielder said.

‘The pitches are so dry, we know we are players with amazing qualities but sometimes it is not you, it’s the pitches.’

‘It was a difficult decision because you know Liverpool is a big team,’ the 22-year-old added.

‘But Chelsea were with me for a couple of months and I felt like I couldn’t miss this move.

‘They were with me in tough times when Brighton didn’t want to let me go. It was a difficult decision, but 100 per cent the right one.’

Caicedo has played 48 matches for Chelsea to date and will be hoping to go up a level under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino.