Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Atletico Madrid, Pedro has claimed that the Blues do have what it takes to go all the way and win the Champions League.
Chelsea may have endured a rocky start to this campaign. Nonetheless, they have found their feet in recent weeks and Pedro is riding the optimism. The winger believes that the Blues can win the Champions League and why should Chelsea fans think otherwise?
Pedro recognises that there are several sizeable obstacles in the way, but that’s not stopping him from dreaming.
"With our weapons it’s possible for us to win the Champions League because we have a very strong team, so let’s see. There are the best teams in Europe – Barcelona, Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG are very strong this year – so it won’t be easy, but anything can happen. – via chelseafc.com"
Chelsea stumbled out of the blocks this season while being dogged by injuries. However, the pieces have been falling into place over the last month and the Blues have vastly improved. With their strongest team available, there is no reason to rule Chelsea out in contests against Europe’s finest.
The club showed last season that they can be unbeatable on their day. They may not have appropriately strengthened the squad over the summer, but Antonio Conte’s first-choice starting eleven is still world class.
Alvaro Morata has hit the ground running in England, while Eden Hazard is getting better and better in his new role. In a 3-5-2, this attacking duo has the ability to open almost any defence. Moreover, in that formation, the likes of Pedro and Willian are coming off the bench. As replacement attacking options, you cannot ask for much more.
The nature of the competition also helps Chelsea’s cause. The Blues are good enough to not be reliant on a lucky victory. The two-legged format means that Conte can use his tactical nous to get an edge over the opposition.
Chelsea’s season thus far has shown the Italian at his managerial best. He has rotated players to keep them fresh, while he has dealt with significant injuries and juggled two formations successfully. His gameplan against Manchester United was a particular highlight, as Chelsea grabbed a well-deserved, but maybe unexpected, victory.
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There is no point playing in the Champions League if you don’t think you can win it. Having said that, Chelsea can realistically go all the way. Hopefully, Pedro’s teammates share in his optimism as they will need to be at the top of their game in each European fixture for this dream to materialise.