January 28 News In the previous match between Chelsea and Liverpool, Chelsea captain Aspi
Liqueta came off the bench and completed the 500th milestone in the Blues career.
In a recent interview with the club’s official website, the Spanish defender also recalled his Blues career.
What is your main memory of walking through Chelsea’s doors for the first time?
“It was late at the end of August 2012, I arrived at the training ground after my medical and I remember meeting Di Matteo, the then coach, who was still in the building. I couldn’t meet any of the players because the training was
It was in the morning, so I chatted with him for a while. I was really excited to walk into the building and see the amazing facility, and I was excited to come back in the morning and do my first practice with my teammates.”
“I was nervous, I had a conversation with Mata, who I knew in the Spanish national team. He helped me a lot on the first day. Torres was one of my idols as a kid and now I’m his teammate. In the dressing room
It’s full of world-class players and they welcome me very much.”
“I felt really good from the first day, I had an exciting training session and I remember the second day was home against Newcastle, I wasn’t involved but it might give me a chance to be with the team
.”
How do you feel about your Blues debut now?
“Well, it took me a while. I remember the first game I played in a Chelsea shirt was against Charlton in the academy during the international break in September, it was a friendly. It made me
Realized that I needed to work my way into the first team. I knew I wasn’t a rookie who could just walk in and become a regular. I had to make my own way.”
“Then I waited until the end of September, against Wolves in the Carabao Cup, I was excited, wanted to play and didn’t want it to end because I enjoyed it a lot. We won 6-0 and it was a good debut
, and my first game at Stamford Bridge.”
Can you still recall in your mind the moment you scored your first goal?
“Yes. I remember. It was against Arsenal. That year we played with Jose Mourinho, that year I watched the way we played, we were dangerous in transition, even
It’s on set pieces. In the first few months so I can learn, see what the players can do and learn from them.”
“One thing that’s always been on my mind, the moment I scored, was the corner against Arsenal and I thought we could make a quick transition. After the Arsenal header, I remember going and putting my foot out.
Go in front of the goalkeeper and score. If they had won the ball back then we could have conceded the goal and I would have played for the team for the last time. But sometimes you have to go with your gut and I enjoyed that a lot
The goal, the celebration was crazy and I enjoyed it a lot.”
What was the best piece of advice received during the 500 races?
“There’s a lot, but there’s not one thing I’d say it’s changed or made a difference because I think it’s an accumulation of little things I’ve learned from different managers, people at clubs, teammates. I think you always
It’s about giving everything, that’s how I look at life. I see football as a joy, training here every day as if it’s a game. It makes you ready for every game. This
This method is very important.”
“I’ve seen some players who haven’t trained well and they’ve played well but that’s not normal in football. Even though some talented players can do it, it’s not normal. To me
The normal common denominator is giving everything every day, it’s nice to be here, to walk into the training ground, to train as hard as I can, to win everything I can, to have a feeling that you give it all and then move on to the next challenge
be prepared.”
What is missing so far?
“Football is always about the present. It’s great to look back and see how successful we’ve been. When I joined the club in 2012, right after winning the Champions League for the first time, you could see the club in the
How successful it is in terms of winning trophies, so when you get there, you want to keep going and you want to feel what they felt, the other team-mates when they won trophies.”
“And then, once you’ve won the first title, you want the second and I don’t think there’s ever been a moment where you say yes, that’s it. When you’re at Chelsea, that ambition is always there.
…you always want the next one. Whatever trophy you have in front of you, you want to win it.”
What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen a teammate do?
“I’ve been lucky to work with so many good team-mates, but all I can think of right now is Hazard’s goal against Liverpool (Chelsea 2-1 in the League Cup in 2018-19), I
Remember him throwing the ball to me and I passing it back and I could look at the ball in the perfect position. His movement was really good – speed, quality and finish. Depending on where you are, you can
Look at it differently, but it’s amazing.”
Your best goal?
“I would say the goal against Leicester (Leicester 2-4 Chelsea in the third round of the League Cup in 2016-17), it was very different and I enjoyed it a lot.”
Among so many milestones, 50