Ross Barkley Getty Images November 13, 2025, 09:30

Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley has shared candid memories of his difficult spell at Chelsea, including problems with discipline and drinking.

In an interview with The Athletic, Barkley revealed that in his youth he struggled with pressure and insecurity, which sometimes led to incidents off the football field.

“Several times I went out, drank too much, then did things that I regret,” the player admitted.

Barkley recalled a specific incident when he went out for a drink on Sunday in Liverpool, even though the team had a game on Wednesday. The video from the party got into the press. The then manager of Chelsea, Frank Lampard, reacted harshly to the violation of the regime.

“We had an away match in France against Lille. Lampard was the coach,” recalls Barkley. “The punishment was that I went with the team, but I wasn’t even on the bench. I had to watch the game from the team bus. It was hard to take.”

Lampard also publicly criticized the player for a lack of professionalism in another episode when Barkley, while injured, danced in a nightclub in Dubai.

Now, aged 31, Barkley, who has become a father and returned to Aston Villa, looks at those events differently. He said that he has not consumed alcohol since the summer and plans to do so for the rest of his career, as he wants to avoid situations he no longer wants to get into.