League campaign underway tonight when we face
newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor, and
Nemanja Matic believes the work carried out by
the first-team squad in recent weeks ensures we
have a strong chance of starting well and
preserving a wonderful opening-day record.
Not since 1998, when we suffered a 2-1 reverse
against Coventry City at Highfield Road, have
Chelsea failed to at least pick up a point on the
first day of the season.
With Serbia not involved in the World Cup, Matic
enjoyed a significant break prior to returning for
pre-season training. The 26-year-old has been
involved in all of our friendlies, and thinks the
squad are in good shape ahead of the game
against Sean Dyche's side.
'We've worked very hard during pre-season and
we are prepared for the fight,' he tells the official
Chelsea website. 'We're pleased to be playing our
first competitive game and we're confident we can
start with a victory. We will try to do our best to
make our supporters happy.
'It's been a good pre-season, the training sessions
have been really hard which is obviously good for
our physical condition. I feel that I'm well
prepared and I'm ready for Monday's game
against Burnley. We've played a lot of friendlies
and the whole squad has had a chance to play and
prepare themselves.
'I'm ready, for me it was a long pre-season and
plenty of time to prepare myself. During the last
two weeks of my holiday I started to get back into
training so I feel very good
Backed by a passionate home support, Burnley
will undoubtedly provide a stern test for Jose
Mourinho's side, as Matic explains.
'Yes, it will be difficult,' he acknowledges. 'In the
Premier League every game is very hard, every
team are capable of playing well. With teams like
Burnley, who have come up from the
Championship, they want to show they are
capable of playing in the Premier League.
'If they are playing against a team like Chelsea of
course they will want to impress, but we are
ready, we have our own qualities and we are
confident of getting the right result.'
Last season, crucial points dropped against the
likes of Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Norwich
City during the title run-in, but Matic is confident
the players have learnt from that experience.
'Of course, we will try not to make the same
mistakes this time,' he says. 'In these type of
games we need to improve, we must concentrate
100 per cent and it's these type of matches where
the title could be decided.'
Having netted iin our friendly win over Vitesse
Arnhem, the midfielder would like to add his
name to the scoresheet more regularly. His role,
however, requires plenty of discipline, and it's
success for the team, rather than on a personal
level, which is driving him on as we approach the
start of the new campaign.
'First of all my job is to steal the ball from the
opponent and help build our game, but if I have a
chance to get forward, or maybe take a free-kick
every now and then, it would be nice to score a
few more goals, I will certainly try to do that this
season,' he explains.
'I want to win the Premier League and Champions
League. You never know what can happen,
especially in European football but, for me, the
main aim is to win the Premier League.'
Pat Nevin and Clive Walker will be the studio
guests for Matchnight Live tonight at 7pm on
Chelsea TV, and from 10.15pm, supporters can
call the studio to share your thoughts on the game
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.