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Morata: Criticism pre-mature and unfair

Cape Town - Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata believes he has been harshly criticised for missing a penalty in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal.

The Spain international moved to the Blues for a reported initial fee of £58m in July and made his debut on Sunday, playing only 15 minutes before his penalty miss in the 4-1 shootout defeat.

Despite making only two pre-season appearances for Antonio Conte's side before the Arsenal clash, Morata came under fire from critics, which he believes is pre-mature and unfair.

"I admit it's a very important amount but I have the personality to play calmly and to stay on my path," he told Marca.

"I've only had two pre-season games, 15 minutes officially and a missed penalty, and they're already killing me, so I know what's ahead.

"It's the price you have to pay for such a big transfer. It's something that motivates me and makes me work harder every day. I know that twice as many people are looking at me now.

"It's been a long, strange summer, in which I've had to make decisions. I wasn't fresh and I couldn't train well.

"Now I have to adapt to a new team with an Italian coach who's very tactical. But I've already adapted and I'm excited to play."

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