Michy Batshuayi hits out at Crystal Palace and their manager

Michy Batshuayi hits out at his current club Crystal Palace and their first team manager Roy Hodgson whilst on international duty.

The 27 year old Belgium striker says playing for his national team comes as a breath of fresh air because he feels he is not trusted at the Premier League outfit.

Batshuayi has started just seven Premier League games this season under Roy Hodgson, scoring just once, but was picked to start by national team boss Roberto Martinez in their World Cup Qualifier against Belarus on Tuesday.

He scored the opening goal in their stunning 8-0 win in midweek against Belarus and told reporters afterwards the contrast of playing for club and country was big.

‘I get a breath of renewed energy when I come into the national team, because it’s very hard for me at my club,’ he said.

‘The club and the national team are different. The coach, the team members and the system are different from that at Palace.

‘With the Red Devils, I feel a lot of trust from the coach; trust that I do not get there (at Palace). With (Roberto) Martinez, we talk to each other a lot, even when I’m back at my club. I give 200% not to disappoint him.’

Batshuayi has found the net of 22 occasions in 33 internationals for Belgium while he has scored just seven during his two loan spells whilst at Selhurst Park.

He is currently on loan at the club from Chelsea, who signed him from Olympique Marseille for a reported fee of £33million in 2016 but has since been loaned to Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and then Palace.

Batshuayi has failed to play regular football throughout his career but looked as though he would finally get minutes after making the move to south London, with the club excited to have him, though the switch has not exactly gone well, leaving the player miffed.

Hodgson does have a number of forward options, including Wilfried Zaha, new signing Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke.

He went through a goal drought at the end of 2020, failing to score at all for his club from the start of the campaign back in September until the new year, but was able to score for Belgium five times during the same period.

Batshuayi admitted he was confused by his inability to replicate his international form in the top tier of English football.

‘Why do I score so easily here? That’s a question I ask myself,’ he said in November.

‘It’s a bit annoying but I don’t think about the past, I’m going forward. It shows that I have qualities, I have to try to perform well in the club as in the national team.’

BATSHUAYI’S CAREER:

Youth
2003–2005 – RFC Evere
2005–2006 – RUSA Schaarbeek
2006–2007 – Brussels
2007–2008 – Anderlecht
2008–2009 – Brussels
2008–2011 – Standard Liège

Senior
2011–2014 – Standard Liège – 97 games (39 goals)
2014–2016 – Marseille – 62 games (29 goals)
2016– Chelsea – 48 games (8)
2018 → Borussia Dortmund (loan) – 10 games (7 goals)
2018–2019 → Valencia (loan) – 15 games (1 goal)
2019 → Crystal Palace (loan) – 11 games (5 goals)
2020– → Crystal Palace (loan) – 16 games (1 goal)

National team
2012–2014 – Belgium U21 – 13 games (7 goals)
2015– Belgium – 33 games (22 goals)

Fans reacted as Michy Batshuayi hits out at Crystal Palace and their manager…

@ohjoewalker: I believe there was an option to buy on Batshuayi’s loan deal. Wonder what would happen if a new manager came in and said to activate the clause. Would MB even want to stay? Is this also why Mateta’s loan/clause is timed in such a way? To see what happens

@pernollie: Criminally underrated striker, man shouldn’t be rotting away at Palace. If I think of some of the chances are strikers missed this season I’m sure we’d have a lot more goals with Batshuayi in the team #cfc

@schluppUTP: I feel for Bats, but he just hasn’t been up to par this season honestly

@kdmm1000: Batshuayi is always going to get miles better service in Belgium side with the players around him, together with weak opposition he’s going to score goals. Mid table prem side would naturally be tougher. He’s been so poor this season, looked like a pub player

@TtimeSTL: He is speaking the truth unfortunately. It does come down to tactics/style of play and the managers choices honestly. I mean I get that he has struggles in the two strikers system, but he needs more consistency in game time too.

@ebeling_J: That’s what our coaching team do to all our strikers/attacking players.

@jjsperling1: Speaks absolute volumes

@joe_cpfc_01: Under a different manager Michy would be unreal, some of our fans don’t rate him because of the system we play which is unfair

@palace_tommy: Roy is actually killing every bit of talent we have.

@ClaroClarence: Batsuayi is tired with playing among dross at Crystal palace…sent him to Bvb

@lparsonz: @mbatshuayi always scoring for Belgium, give him a chance at palace man 😭 #cpfc

Best striker at our club. Benteke fits our system of “pump it long and hope to win the header” more than Batshuayi. Bats is not a target man but I still don’t agree with people saying he’s trash or finished. pic.twitter.com/u6OfmZasis

— CPFCTrigs (@CPFC_Trigs) March 31, 2021