Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte has reportedly told out-of-favoured forward, Michy Batshuayi that he must prove that he is better than Eden Hazard or Alvaro Morata in order to command a place in the first team. On Wednesday, Batshuayi would make his sixth start in all competitions this season when Chelsea take on Bournemouth in the League Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian who arrived from Marseille for £33.1m in 2016, has just recovered from a foot injury but still didn’t play when first-choice forward Morata was injured last week – with Conte choosing to have Hazard play up front against Huddersfield and Southampton.
Speaking with newsmen, Conte said the player must improve to have a place in his team.
“Michy is coming from an injury. Don’t forget this. Michy stopped for maybe two weeks, 18 days, and then he needed to work. Now I think it’s right for him to start the game against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup. But I repeat: in every game, I have to make the best decision for the team.
“Against Huddersfield we won 3-1 and I think I made the best decision to start with Hazard, Pedro and Willian. It was the same against Southampton. Every game I’ve played Hazard, Pedro and Willian together, they’ve won. Last season and this season.
“But don’t forget that Michy, this season, is playing more than last season. Last season he didn’t play. He didn’t play and I think this season, if you consider his injury for a month, he had his chance.”
When then asked whether Batshuayi has been frustrated not to play more in what is his second season in England, Conte said:
“He has to show me that he’s better than Morata, or than Hazard. It’s very simple. But don’t forget that Michy, this season, is playing more than last season. Last season he didn’t play. He didn’t play and I think this season, if you consider his injury for a month, he had his chance.”
