Kai Havertz feared missing open goal against Man City in Champions League final would have turned him into a MEME and encouraged online abuse
- 22-year-old scored winning goal as Chelsea beat Manchester City in Porto
- ‘You think if I miss this one then of course you are on YouTube,’ Havertz said
- Havertz admitted he feared being ridiculed online had he missed his chance
- German has started four of his six Premier League appearances this season
Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz feared becoming an internet sensation for all the wrong reasons when he scored in the Champions League final against Manchester City in May.
The German rounded City goalkeeper Ederson before tapping the ball into the empty the net to score the only goal of the game just before halftime as the Blues clinched their second European Cup.
While the finish may have looked straightforward to onlookers, Havertz admitted a series of negative thoughts went through his head as he faced the open goal.
Kai Havertz admitted he thought of the implications of him fluffing his lines against City
The 22-year-old was fully aware that a miss would have immediately transformed him into meme material and left him open to ridicule on the internet and on social media.
‘These moments, they are always the worst,’ he told Chelsea’s official website.
‘Because you think if I miss this one then of course you are on YouTube, on Instagram and in every meme, so I was just thinking: “Please, I have to score now.”
‘Then, of course, it happened and then these are the best moments in football.’
The German scored the winner as Chelsea beat City 1-0 to win the Champions League
A £70m signing from Bayern Leverkusen, Havertz finished his first Chelsea season on a high
The goal against City in Porto was the perfect ending to a relatively difficult debut season in the Premier League for the German, a £70 million signing from Bayern Leverkusen.
Havertz took his time to find his feet at Stamford Bridge, starting just 18 of his 27 Premier League appearances for a return of four goals and five assists.
The German had a bigger role to play in Europe, starting nine of his 12 Champions League appearances but the winner against City was his only goal in the competition.
So far this season, Havertz has started four of his league appearances but was an unused substitute last weekend, as Chelsea beat Southampton 3-1 to go into the international break top of the table.
The German feels fully settled in West London after a relatively difficult debut season
The former Bayer Leverkusen man conceded he needed some time to adjust to life in a new environment but insisted he now feels completely at ease in West London.
‘Of course you get used to it when you play some games, when you have some matches, when you are here in England for some months,’ he said.
‘It’s a different type of football, but I think you get used to it and it was the same for me. After six months it was easier for me and then I settled in very well.
‘I feel very good on the pitch and you are more relaxed on the pitch to play. Then, of course, it was getting a little bit better and now I’m used to it and I’m feeling very good.’
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