Chelsea forward Kai Havertz is enjoying some strong form once again, but he revealed the mental toll this season has taken on himself and those around him.
The Germany international has made 22 starts from Chelsea's 26 Premier League fixtures this campaign, having only scored 27 goals as a team.
It has resulted in a pressure-packed season as boss Graham Potter fights for his job, and while Havertz's own production has not taken too much of a hit, the weight of a disappointing season has taken its toll.
After eight goals and four assists in 29 league appearances last season, Havertz has tallied six goals and one assist this time around, but had only one goal in his past 10 prior to finding the back of the net against Leicester City in Saturday's 3-1 win.
"Football is our life," Havertz told reporters. "If you lose a game, of course you don’t have an easy life as well.
"I think everyone at home, especially my girlfriend, has had some tough weeks as well in the last weeks and months. I think she is happy now again and so am I.
"For you [journalists], it is the same – if you have a bad day at work… you… I won’t say the word now but you don’t feel good. Football is a game where we have a lot of pressure on our shoulders.
"We want to make the fans happy and if you don’t make them happy then you don’t have a good time."
But things have begun to swing back the other way, with Havertz coming off a goal in consecutive games as he put one past Borussia Dortmund to help Chelsea advance in the Champions League, before another strong performance against Leiceister.
"Winning is always the best, we won again so we can enjoy some days," he said. "We knew it was going to take some time to adapt for everyone. So maybe, you could see that we are still not finished.
"It will always take time to develop. We can develop a lot but we showed another good performance [at Leicester] and we can be happy.
"Of course, to win three games in a row is important for us because we had a tough time before that. We knew we would bounce back.
"We still have a game to play [at home to Everton] before the [international break for the] national team. We have to keep our focus high and win the next game as well."
'Clubs are starting to call' – Argentina and Brighton star Mac Allister in demand
Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is drawing enquiries from a number of clubs that could bid for the World Cup winner, his father has revealed.
The 24-year-old has become a key player for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, and he has been recently linked with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Playing a prominent role in Argentina's Qatar 2022 triumph has raised Mac Allister's profile, and his market value.
Brighton would be reluctant to see him leave, but Carlos Mac Allister, who was also capped by Argentina, says his son is wanted elsewhere.
"The clubs are starting to call us about Alexis, but there are no concrete conversations for now," he said, quoted by TNT Sports.
"We will decide together with Brighton, they deserve respect. We will also choose the best project based on the coach, it is not just about money."
Alexis Mac Allister, who has a contract through to the end of the 2024-25 season, recently said his "next step" should be with another Premier League club.
Liverpool may be looking to refresh their midfield at the end of the campaign, while Mac Allister could also be a shrewd replacement for Ilkay Gundogan should the Germany international leave City.
Brighton sit seventh in the Premier League and are firmly in the hunt for a European place, with Mac Allister netting seven goals and adding one assist during their success so far this term in that competition.
They are also through to the FA Cup semi-finals, where Manchester United await them at Wembley.
If Mac Allister stays in England, he would want to play for an elite team.
Mac Allister told TyC Sports, as reported on March 1: "I don't have a particular team where I say 'this is the way I play'. I think that here in the Premier League, there are very strong teams that play very well, like Manchester City and Arsenal.
"Chelsea too, I had [Graham] Potter as coach [at Brighton] and I know the idea he has of playing football.
"Manchester United are returning to be what they were, and Liverpool are going through some ups and downs but they still have a very important team.
"If I have to say a place, I would like my next step to be in the Premier League. But the truth is that I am very focused here in Brighton and enjoying the present."
Australia 3-1 Ecuador: Irvine, Mabil and Kuol lead Socceroos to victory
Jackson Irvine, Awer Mabil and Garang Kuol fired Australia to a 3-1 victory against Ecuador at the CommBank Stadium on Friday.
In their first game since the World Cup in Qatar, Australia's preparations for the Asian Cup got off to an ideal start.
First-half goals from Jackson and Mabil came either side of Felix Torres' equaliser in an action-packed opening period.
A much quieter second half saw few opportunities before 18-year-old Kuol scored his first senior international goal, ensuring there would be no late fightback from the South American side.
The hosts took the lead after 13 minutes, Mitchell Duke brilliantly volleying Craig Goodwin's free-kick back across the face of goal to Irvine, who converted into the empty net – though replays showed Duke should have been flagged for offside.
Ecuador responded quickly to the setback and, having seen Michael Estrada drag a glorious chance wide of the mark, levelled when Torres met Jeremy Sarmiento's cross and guided a header past Mathew Ryan.
Australia regained the lead in the 32nd minute, with Irvine dispossessing Piero Hincapie on the edge of the area and seeing the ball fall kindly for Mabil, who smashed a fierce strike into the top-right corner.
Manchester City's Alex Robertson made his debut in the second half, despite having yet to make a senior appearance for the Premier League side, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in featuring for the Socceroos.
There were few opportunities in the second half, but Moises Ramirez clawed an effort from Kye Rowles off the line, with Goodwin's set-piece delivery again causing problems for the visitors.
Though Ecuador dominated possession for much of the latter exchanges, the South Americans were unable to create opportunities to test Ryan and the hosts held on to secure victory.
The win was secured in the 84th minute, with teenage substitute Kuol on hand to poke in Aziz Behich's driven cross.
Messi hits 800th goal and tells Argentina to milk their moment of World Cup fever
Lionel Messi struck the 800th goal of his remarkable career and lifted the World Cup trophy one more time in Buenos Aires, telling all of Argentina to enjoy this footballing prosperity while it lasts.
His landmark strike came in a 2-0 friendly win against Panama on Thursday at El Monumental, as Argentina played their first game since triumphing at Qatar 2022.
They showed off their World Cup spoils after the final whistle, with Messi addressing the crowd and saying it was a moment he had dreamt of throughout his life.
Messi, who turns 36 in June, delivered another inspired performance for his country, hitting the crossbar with two free kicks before sending another into the top corner in the 89th minute.
That brought up the 800 for club and country and sealed Argentina's win, after Thiago Almada bagged the opener in the 78th minute. It was also Messi's 99th goal for Argentina.
With a microphone in his right hand, and his left placed on the trophy, Messi told the crowd: "I want to thank you for all the love we are receiving, not just for winning the World Cup but from before, when we won the Copa America.
"I always dreamed of this moment, being able to celebrate with you in this country. Let's enjoy it because we spent a long time to win it, and because you don't know how long it will take until we win it again. Let's enjoy the third star."
Paris Saint-Germain's former Barcelona star won the Golden Ball at the World Cup for his efforts in captaining Argentina to glory. That is the trophy awarded to the player of the tournament.
Argentina won the World Cup previously in 1978 and 1986, with a 36-year wait coming to an end when La Albiceleste beat France on penalties in the December 18 final, after a 3-3 draw.
Messi will almost certainly have retired from international duty by the time the next World Cup rolls around in 2026, marking the end of a storied era.
He was keen to spread the latest acclaim throughout the Argentina ranks.
"I know that today is our day, but I don't want to forget all those colleagues I had before, who also did everything possible to get this one, and unfortunately it didn't happen to us, we were very close," he said. "They also deserve respect and recognition.
"We were going to do everything we could for this. I always dreamed of this moment, being able to come to my country and lift the World Cup. It was shown that it is very difficult to achieve this, it depends on many things. Sometimes due to small details it gets away from you.”
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