The life of a professional footballer must be tough. To have to deal with factors such as fitness, pressure and nerves, injuries, criticism and so much more, it really does ask a lot of an individual to be a top footballer.
They have an image to maintain, both on and off the pitch. On the pitch, they are required to play at the best of the abilities, to ensure that results they help achieve are in the best interests of the club they don the jersey for.
They are expected to conduct themselves as true professionals of the game. Off the pitch, however, it’s a different story altogether. Away from the job, players tend to live carefreely and unwind into their personal life, often forgetting that they are still under the media-eye, with the paparazzi constantly on their tail, looking for another story to publish.
Turns out that the media’s search for another story bore fruit. Little did the Chelsea midfielder expect to steal the show after he and his teammates were given the day off by Sarri before a Monday night league tie against West Ham.
The former Evertonian, who has prior experience with nightclubs (after being punched in the face in one, during his time at Everton), was pictured entering the nightclub “Raffles” with a female friend. Later, in the wee hours of April 5th, 2019, after over three hours of clubbing, Ross was the last of the players seen to leave Raffles, accompanied by another female friend.
Other players who were present at Raffles were Giroud, Drinkwater, Cahill, Loftus-Cheek, and Emerson. Most of them seemed to have made their night out count, with Drinkwater also being pictured, leaving with two female companions. Clearly, it’s a night that these Chelsea players will remember for a while. Or is it one they will have trouble recollecting? We’ll let the pictures decide that.
Regardless of what anyone has to say, one thing’s for sure: Ross Barkley is a player both on and off the field!