Former Chelsea Brazilian midfielder Oscar has opened up on why Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne struggled during their spells at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool forward Salah and Manchester City midfielder De Bruyne both endured forgettable stints in west London.
De Bruyne made just nine appearances for the Blues during two years on their books – of which half was spent on loan at Werder Bremen – before he left for Wolfsburg.
Salah arrived as De Bruyne departed in January 2014, but he – like the Belgian – failed to make an impression at Chelsea, scoring two goals in 19 games before joining Roma in 2016.
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Oscar – who witnessed both players’ terms at Chelsea – believes Salah struggled with confidence and De Bruyne was hampered by injuries.
“De Bruyne even gave me an assist,” the Brazilian told Yellow and Green Football. “There was a formation where [Eden] Hazard, De Bruyne and I played in midfield and it worked well. He only had a few chances, played well but then got injured.
“I guess that not being consistent at a club that had many options in the centre of the park meant he was not a good fit at the time.
“With Salah, it was different. He was unstoppable during practice, but always shy and quiet off the field.
“During the games, I guess he did not have the confidence that we saw at every club he played for after Chelsea, and especially now at Liverpool.”
Oscar, who left Chelsea for Shanghai SIPG in 2017, added: “Sometimes players don’t feel comfortable with that pressure. I liked it because it made me better.
“Mourinho helped me a lot and he is one of the best coaches in the world. He gives a lot of confidence to his players, but also wants to see them perform at the level of that trust.”
