West Ham's Fabian Balbuena Admits Struggling to Adjust to 'Intense' English Football
West Ham summer signing Fabian Balbuena has revealed that he has struggled during his first few months at the London Stadium.
Balbuena moved to the London side from Corinthians in the summer transfer window for a fee reported to be £3.5m.
Up until his move the 27-year-old Paraguay international had never played domestic football in Europe and admitted to struggling to adjust to the language and the style of football at first.
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“I had a little bit of trouble with the language but with time it is getting better and I’m talking English every day and, in general, I’m feeling better every time I try," Balbuena said to West Ham's official website.
Balbuena's also admitted to struggling with the intensity of the English game after moving from South America.
He added: "The intensity here is bigger, and also it’s possible to play more. In South America, the players fall with minimal contact but here it is different.
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"But for me, the most different aspect is the intensity. There are great players in every position on the pitch so that’s why I think everything is more intense."
Balbuena has played every minute of West Ham's Premier League campaign so far, having formed a strong partnership with fellow new summer signing Issa Diop.
The Hammers have struggled this season with results, collecting only seven points from nine games, with their single clean sheet coming against Chelsea.
Centre back pairing Balbuena and Diop have caught the eye in recent weeks and they will be looking to improve the club's current form after starting the season with a tricky set of games.
