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Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole heaped praise on Pedro Neto following their 1-0 win over Benfica on Tuesday, September 30. He called him the "unsung hero" of the team and said that the attacker is always positive.
The Blues faced Jose Mourinho's Benfica at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. Richard Rios' own goal in the 18th minute was the difference between the two sides. The defender inadvertently deflected a cross from Alejandro Garnacho into his own net.
Meanwhile, Pedro Neto started for the west London side on the right wing. He completed 19/25 passes, made two key passes, completed 1/3 dribble attempts, attempted two shots, and won 4/9 duels (via SofaScore). After the game, former Liverpool star Joe Cole lauded the Portuguese attacker, saying on TNT Sports (h/t Metro):
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"Neto has been brilliant, he’s the unsung hero of this Chelsea team, the fans will tell you that. He delivers and is always positive. He’s been Chelsea’s best player tonight. He’s a bright spark very consistent. He’s fast becoming a fans’ favourites at Stamford Bridge. He was Chelsea’s best player tonight by a mile.
"It was a decent performance from Chelsea, it wasn’t spectacular and I’ve seen them play better. But the most important thing was the result, they needed that win and now they can prepare for a massive game against Liverpool at the weekend."
The Blues had signed Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of £51.4 million plus add-ons last summer. He's scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 60 games for them.
Owen Hagreaves and Ally McCoist also praise Pedro Neto after Chelsea's win over Benfica
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves claimed that Pedro Neto was the best player for Enzo Maresca's side against Benfica. He told TNT Sports:
"I thought he was Chelsea’s best player. He makes things happens, he’s so positive and explosive and quick. That’s the thing I like about him. It feels like Neto was the one creating a lot of the chances. Pedro Neto was by far the best player on the pitch. He was the star of the show for me."
Ally McCoist also agreed with Cole and Hargreaves, saying that Neto "overshadowed" his teammate Alejandro Garnacho. Neto has scored one goal in nine appearances across competitions this season.
The west London side, meanwhile, recorded a win in the Champions League this season. They had suffered a 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on September 17 in their first game.
The Blues will next face Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on October 4 before the international break. They are eighth in the standings, seven points behind the leaders, Liverpool.
