Gusto on importance of silverware ahead of Chelsea's conference league tie with Legia
16/04/2025
uefa conference league
chelsea 3-0 Legia Warsaw quarter final second leg
16/04/2025
uefa conference league
chelsea 3-0 Legia Warsaw quarter final second leg
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SportsTranscript
00:00your hand and just please wait for the mic to get around to you before asking your question
00:22Hi Malou, obviously you've come into this game at the back of the Ipswich result, what's been the message from the manager to you players since then?
00:39The message was more about the reaction we have to show, especially tomorrow against Leija,
00:51for getting in the semi-final. It would be the most important for us to continue to build something,
00:59keep the fans behind us and to play game after game to win as much as we can.
01:07The manager's been talking about engaging the fans, especially here at home,
01:13and entertaining them and racking up, scoring goals, all that kind of thing.
01:19How do you find the level as a group of players from the first half of the season, when things were going so well and flowing so well?
01:27And how difficult is it to do it in this later part of the season?
01:32Yeah, sometimes the season is like this. This season was new because we have a new manager, a new way to play.
01:42So yeah, sometimes that can happen. We were a little bit less, as I said.
01:50But it doesn't matter, we just have to stay focused on our plan. We have a lot of qualities in the group,
01:57so I'm sure we will finish in our target and we will give our best to make it.
02:05Do you, as players, see progress? Do you enjoy the way the season is going at the moment?
02:15Yeah, we just have to enjoy at the end of the season. We have a target.
02:22And if we have, and if we finish in top four, that's our target, for sure we will enjoy it.
02:30But for making it, we have to win game after game, as I said. And that will be the most important for getting there.
02:37Hi, Manolo. I wanted to ask you about your position. You have this role where you go into midfield quite a lot, attacking midfield.
02:45How have you found that this season? Has it been hard to adapt to that?
02:49Yeah, it's completely different compared to the last year. But that's the coach plan.
02:59Yeah, I just try to give my best. A few players, Rhys as well, play the same way.
03:09But the most important for me and for us as a right back is to help the team, to help the build.
03:19And that's what we try to do. And especially me, I just try to give my best in the pitch when the coach put me.
03:28How important is it, even if you've not done it before, to sort of believe in the system?
03:32Sorry, I didn't understand.
03:33How important is it to believe in the system, the way you play, the way Enzo plays?
03:37Even if there's some criticism outside, how important is it to stick to the game plan?
03:41I think for win, you have to believe to your plan, otherwise you cannot win.
03:49But yeah, I think most of the season we were top four, top five. So I think it's because the plan was good, but it's not enough because the season is not finished.
04:06We have a few games in the future. So yeah, we just have to continue like this to give our best in the pitch and to try to finish in our target.
04:20Chelsea was second in December and now it's not a strong position. But how does the dressing room come together in difficult moments? How do you guys come together, you young guys?
04:31That's, I think, when you see if you are a good team or not. It's in a difficult moment. We just speak all together. Sometimes that can happen. The most important is the reaction to continue to build something as a team.
04:53And yeah, because we are Chelsea, so we just have to show our talent and our desire to win. So that would be the most important is to continue to create these things between us and to show it in the pitch.
05:13Hey, Mello. You had such a big impact last season. How would you assess your second season and where do you still want to improve?
05:22Where do you think a game needs to improve?
05:25About me? Sorry? Many things. I think I have to work a lot more. For me, it's not enough. It's just the beginning of my career. So I have to continue to work.
05:44As you said, this year, it's different than the last year. But I learned a lot of things about the new position, about the way I have to think in the pitch and stuff like that. But for me, it's good to touch on everything and to continue to be more complete.
06:05But yeah, as a team, it's important for me to try to help as much as I can. And that's why I will try to do as much as possible.
06:17And there seems to be, you know, all the chat about the fans and can Chelsea make the Champions League, lots of negativity around. But you're only four games away from making history, becoming the first side ever to win all four European trophies. Is that something that you guys are saying to yourselves that you've got a chance to make history this season to become the first club to win all four major trophies in Europe?
06:45We're not really thinking about this. I think at this moment of the season, especially now because of our position, we don't have to think too much.
06:58The most important is to play game after game, to give our best step by step because otherwise it's too complicated if we start to think too much.
07:11But yeah, it will be important this season for the club to win trophies, conference league especially and to finish in our target in the Premier League.
07:25But yeah, that's our plan and we will do our best for getting there.
07:32Time for two more Andy and then Peter.
07:34Hi Melo. Enzo, the coach, spoke about the environment last week and we spoke a bit about the fans.
07:42Do you feel there is much warmth at the moment coming from the Chelsea fans towards the team?
07:49Or maybe do you feel they come to games really waiting for you to start struggling and to get onto your backs?
07:57Yeah, that can happen, I think. Especially the way we finished the first half against Ipswich, they were a bit upset and we can understand that.
08:11But now the thing for us is to try to make it them behind us, to try to give them back the desire to support Chelsea.
08:27And that's what we're going to do because for sure we need them. We need us as a team to show in the pitch like we are Chelsea and we are here to win everything.
08:39And yeah, that's what we will try to do for them.
08:43And does it unsettle you as an experienced player? Does it get to you if you don't feel warmth coming from the fans?
08:51No, I don't. I just try to stay focused on myself and on the team as well. For sure you hear this in the pitch and at the end you can say to you like,
09:10yeah, the fans were not behind us. But we play for Chelsea. We are all here, we all come to the stadium to support this team.
09:22And that's our job as a player to win games and to try to help the fans to support us. And that's what we are going to do until the end of the season.
09:36Peter to finish. Hi Malho. Obviously the first half of the season was very strong for Chelsea.
09:42The second half of the season has been a bit more challenging. Are you enjoying playing at the moment?
09:47And how are the team dealing with the pressure? Because this is a new feeling I think for the team during this season in particular.
09:55Me, I just play football so for sure I enjoy it. I think as a team as well. But the most important I think is to win, to make Chelsea in Champions League for the next year to win this trophy in Conference League.
10:16So we don't really feel the pressure. We are a lot of young players but with a lot of qualities and I think we are good enough for just stay focused on ourselves and to give our best game after game.
10:38Can I ask you about one of your teammates, Christopher Nkunku? Obviously he feels like he struggled for form of late. How have you seen him and how good can he be and what does he need to do to get back to that level?
10:49Yeah, he is one of my closest guys. Christo is a top player, everyone knows. But I don't know what can I say about him now. He just tries to give his best and after he is a coach choice. So I cannot say more about this, to be fair.
11:12Cheers guys. Thank you.