Chelsea defender Benoît Badiashile says the team is finally showing the progress they've made after what has been a frustrating couple of years. This season, the appointment of Enzo Maresca has sparked a lot of divided opinions, but the results suggest they are on the right track.
Chelsea have scored more goals than anyone in the league, are topping the Europa Conference League table, and, quietly, they are being seen as a team to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title.
Their recent win against Tottenham means they have eight more points than at this stage last season. When asked what has been behind this transformation, Badiashile pointed to a combination of factors, including their training methods and the tactical guidance from the manager.
To be a good team, you have to know each other. Every training session is an opportunity to build that understanding and make the adjustments we need to keep progressing. We have a lot of games ahead, and we need all the players to compete and challenge ourselves. Ultimately, good competition is beneficial for the overall development of everyone.
Benoît Badiashile exclusively for Telecom Asia Sport
Chelsea’s transformation has been nothing short of sensational, but it’s their newfound consistency that has fans excited about the project. It’s taken time, but they seem to have finally arrived.
Manager Enzo Maresca has said the team is ahead of where he expected them to be, but Badiashile admitted he didn’t know what the manager’s expectations were at the start of the season. He’s simply enjoying the journey and their current position in the league.
We are Chelsea, and we’re enjoying being close to the top of the league table. But it’s important to take it one game at a time.
Benoît Badiashile
I don’t know what his expectations were at the beginning of the season, so I can’t comment on that. What I do know is that we have a lot of games to play, and we need all the players to compete and challenge ourselves. Ultimately, good competition is good for the overall development of everyone.
Benoît Badiashile
Chelsea have a day off today before traveling to Kazakhstan to face Astana in the Conference League, followed by a home match against Brentford this weekend.