Florent Malouda, the Chelsea winger, has branded English football “brainless”.

The 27-year-old, who has been out of action for a month with a knee injury, has also criticised Chelsea’s full-blooded training sessions and dietary regime after revealing the culture shock suffered since his £13 million move from Lyons in the summer.

“Training sessions here are terrifying,” Malouda said. “They are just like matches, and you go flat out. During the actual games it is as though everybody’s brains are switched off.

“People play by instinct, spontaneously, in the way they did when they first discovered football.”

Malouda also claimed he would not be in the shape he is if he had adhered to the eating habits he found at Stamford Bridge throughout his career.

“The people at Chelsea don’t control what the players eat. You can help yourself to whatever you like, drink Coke or anything,” he added.

“It is a good job I have come over here at the age of 27 and so haven’t been following the same diet as the rest of the club’s players.”