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In an interview with the official Chelsea Football Club magazine, Brazilian midfielder Oscar dos Santos spoke about his career at Chelsea, his relationship with one of the club’s newest signings, Cesc Fabregas and much more.
Where does Oscar’s inspiration come from?
Oscar is one of the best passers in the Premier League, and it is worth mentioning that since joining the club, Oscar’s pass completion rate last season has been 76 per cent, with a total of 47 chances created.
“It’s part of the game to see these passes, it’s my way of playing. Sometimes, to make the best passes, you need to have the vision first. I made that pass so that we were able to go forward. It helped that I have a good understanding with Ivanovic, which comes because we have played in the same team for two years now, so I know how he likes to receive the ball and I know what he is going to do with it. I also know he always gives everything, so I try to play the ball to him in the spaces where he wants to receive it.”
“I always look for possible passes before I receive the ball so, when I get the ball, I know what I want to do with it. The best passes are always the hardest ones to make, so the more practice you have, and the more you attempt, the better the passes you can make in the future.”
What kind of a player is Oscar?
“If a game is hard, I never quit. I’m a bit shy off the pitch, but I am also a creative person and I think I take that part of my personality onto the pitch with me – I like to be creative when I am playing. I like to make space and I like to have the ball at my feet. If I don’t have the ball, I look to take it and to always keep moving forward. I never give up until I find a way for us to win. Problem solving is something I am good at and in the first two games of this season we had some problems in the early stages, which we managed to overcome. Not just me, but the whole team were very creative and we saw a way to move forward and win those games.”
“I get very angry with myself if my passes don’t find a Chelsea player. I am a very competitive person and I like to win. Every game. I want all my passes to find a Chelsea player and I always want to score goals. That is the kind of person I am.”
About his relationship with Cesc Fabregas
“Coming deeper to get the ball is something that I’ve always done, but it is also something that the manager likes me to do and, in the same way, Cesc Fàbregas and Willian also do it. Maybe it’s the way Fàbregas plays – he plays very similarly to me – but we have worked very well together in the first games of this season and we also get on very well,”He came into the team and immediately he fitted in very well. We have been switching positions a lot and we hope to perfect that as the season goes on because it has been working very well for the team.”
“I think that we are looking very good at the moment. All the players are at a high level, but now we have to continue playing well because every one of us wants to win the Premier League this season.”
About vacating the No. 11 shirt for Didier Drogba
Oscar was given the No. 11 shirt upon joining Chelsea, a number previously worn by Didier Drogba who had left the club in 2012. However, after he had returned back to the team, Oscar offered to vacate his No. 11 shirt, taking up the No. 8 instead, a number worn by Frank Lampard earlier.
“When I first came here, Didier had just left the club and I got his No11 shirt. He is a legend here at Chelsea, so I felt really honoured to receive that shirt, and now I have No8, which was Frank Lampard’s shirt – and he is also a legend – so I hope I can do it justice. I’m enjoying playing alongside Drogba very much because when I was a kid in Brazil I used to watch him play and I was one of his fans. So, to now be playing next to him is great for me. He is a fantastic player and also a great guy off the pitch, and I have been learning a lot from him. I hope to continue learning from him.”
The latest edition of Chelsea magazine is on sale now - you can download a digital version to view on your tablet HERE
