Kai Havertz: 'I've freed myself'
Kai Havertz feels he has freed himself after struggling to live up to the expectations in the first half of the season.
Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz says he feels back at his top level after a difficult first half of the season.
"I feel like I've freed myself a bit. I'm back," Havertz told Sky after Leverkusen's 4-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, which saw him score and make an assist, and added:
"Time has made me stronger a brought me to a higher level.
"I was lacking consistency in the first half of the season. There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders.
"When you're a young player, you go through such phases. After a few relatively bad games, your own fans make a fool of you. That's not easy," said Havertz, who was booed by his own fans on a few occasions.
Havertz has made 33 appearances for Leverkusen this season, racking up nine goals and eight assists.