Raheem Sterling has admitted a tough debut season at Chelsea is among one of the worst moments in his career. Eyebrows were raised when Pep Guardiola green-lighted the England international’s £45million exit last summer.
In his 339 games at the Etihad, Sterling bagged 131 goals and Guardiola helped develop him into one of Europe’s most devastating wingers. The 28-year-old cited “misunderstandings” as a key reason for his exit, confessing to feeling disappointed at a lack of first-team football.
Fierce competition at City meant Sterling started just 23 Premier League games last season. However, a move to Chelsea - so far - has not worked out. The Blues’ issues this season are well-documented, with three full-time managers unable to get a tune out of an overinflated squad.
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Todd Boehly’s regime - despite being in its infancy - is under question after spending over half-a-billion on new players. As it stands, Chelsea sit 12th in the table, with Sterling only scoring four league goals in 2022-23.
The former Man City favourite - who has also lost his England place - has opened up about a turbulent at Stamford Bridge. He told Sky Sports: "Personally, this is one of the lowest points in my career. This might sound a bit weird, but it is also a great learning curve.
"It's been pretty smooth sailing… winning, winning and winning but, sometimes in life, stuff gets thrown at you and it is a challenge that I'm looking forward to. Hitting it head-on and not trying to hide from it.
"It will only make me stronger and also the group stronger. These challenges, not just in football but in life as well, are crucial to how we deal with things and how we kick on after."
Sterling also urged a “brutal” streak from whoever Chelsea appoint next - exactly how Guardiola acted when wielding the axe on his Eastlands career. He added: "I'm not one to tell the club what to do but, from what I can gauge from where I was previously, organisation is the most important thing.
“Having a manager that has the final say on everything and it being his way, with everyone having to follow that. Successful teams always have a manager that comes in, brings his blueprint and everyone follows. If there are people that don't follow, then they are not part of the team and that is how brutal it needs to be at a high level.
"It's a fine line between winning, coming second and being in the position we are now. It's about everyone being on the same page from my experience."
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