Bastian Schweinsteiger says he is struggling to adapt to the ‘huge’ step down in quality in Major League Soccer, saying he sometimes finds himself frustrated by his new team-mates.
Winning titles and World Cups with Bayern Munich and Germany for the majority of his career, Schweinsteiger grew used to sharing a field with world-class players.
He continued to test himself against the world’s best by moving to Manchester United, but took a big step down by joining Chicago Fire, who finished bottom of their division last season.
And while Schweinsteiger maintains that he knew what he was signing up to when he agreed a one-year contract, he admits that the difference between the Bundesliga and the Premier League his a sizable one.
Schweinsteiger told Suddeutsche Zeitung:
‘We all know that this league is just not like the Premier League or the Bundesliga and, of course, it can be frustrating on the pitch at times when things discussed are not implemented or when somebody loses a ball or just does not have an eye for the team-mate.
‘I don’t blame anyone for it, that’s my problem – I need to adapt to the league and cope with those situations.
‘If you compare it to Bayern Munich or the national team, the difference is huge, but I knew what I let myself in for.’
The former Germany national team captain added:
‘The league is interesting because sometimes things happen you just don’t understand. This might be referee decisions or the running paths or passes of a team-mate.’
Chicago Fire look much-improved from the side that finish rock-bottom in the overall table in 2016, but have suffered from a regression recently, losing to Toronto and New York Red Bulls before drawing with LA Galaxy.
They currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference after nine games with 12 points. Schweinsteiger has made six appearances thus far, scoring two goals.
