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Football London
Football London
Sport
Adam Newson

Every word Joao Felix said on future Chelsea transfer, Graham Potter, Kai Havertz, Dortmund

How much are you looking forward to tomorrow's game and how much pressure are the players under?

"Zero pressure. This is our job. We just have to enjoy and win the games. Our levels of confidence and attention are high because we have to win. We will enjoy it and if we do things right, we'll win."

How much is the emphasis on you tomorrow to help the team?

"I really want to win this game tomorrow. I love playing in the Champions League, everyone loves it. It's a special competition and I hope that after 90 minutes we are here to celebrate."

READ MORE: Every word Graham Potter said on Chelsea future, James, Kante, Pulisic, Felix, Havertz decision

The red card on your debut, is that something you regret?

“It’s not normal for me to get a red card; just the second of my career. It was a stupid red card. We were playing good, I was playing good in that game. I was loving playing in the team. Unfortunately, the referee showed me the red card. I was not expecting it, but it’s football, it happens and it’s just the worst because it was my debut.

“But after that, the team was a real team with me. It was easy to live with it because my teammates and everyone at the club were with me. So it was easy to live with that.

Did the red card – and three-game suspension – make you determined to make up for lost time?

“I’m here to play my football, to help the team, to help the club, try to win trophies with the club. I just fight to win trophies and play for my team. I’m on loan but in the time I’m here, I want to help, I want to play, I want to score, I want to win and that’s why I am here.

There's been some discussion about how your name is being pronounced, we have been getting it wrong?

"Everyone says Felix, even in Spain. Only in Portugal do they say it correctly. I don't know why, it's not too hard to spell! But I don't care."

You're such a favourite already, would you be open to staying permanently in the summer?

"If I want to stay or not, the future nobody knows. I am only focused on tomorrow's game. After that, we don't know what will happen. I am here and the club is so big, it's amazing. Everyone behind the club is so good so I am happy to be here."

What is behind the lack of goals?

"It's frustrating, for me and the strikers is frustrating to see the team not scoring. But it's football. Sometimes you shoot ten times and you don't score, sometimes you can shoot one and you end up scoring two. So you have to keep working and pushing and then the goals will appear."

How much did you need this loan move given your situation at Atletico Madrid and what have you taken from it?

"I think I need it. When I left Atletico I thought it was good for me and for them. So I think it was the perfect deal. I just wanted to try something different because I always try to do my best. Sometimes it didn’t work so I have to change to see if things go differently. So I think it’s important for me this loan and I’m very happy to play here."

Kai Havertz has been criticised for his lack of goals but you seem to be on the same wavelength as him. Do you enjoy playing with him?

"He’s an amazing player. Everyone knows what he has done for the club. We are the same age so I already knew him from a long time ago. We have a good relationship on the field and off the pitch. It’s football. Sometimes you are on a streak of scoring in every game. Every time you don’t you just have to keep working. He is a really good guy. He never stops working. He is always searching for ways to be better and to score. Tomorrow he will score."

Will playing Champions League next season influence any decision over your future this summer?

"Yeah, playing the Champions League is always different. It’s a competition that everyone wants to play. But now I’m focused on this Champions League, on tomorrow’s game. We have a lot of games yet to try to reach the Champions League in the league. It’s not over.

"But yeah playing Champions League is an important decision but the future no one knows, so let’s see what happens and then we’ll see."

Graham Potter has taken a lot of the responsibilities on his shoulders after results in recent weeks - do players have to take responsibility too?

"Yeah, for sure. The fault is of course about us and the coach but not even the players have to take all the fault and the coach has to take all the fault. It’s between us. We have to be together and we are. We have an amazing group, the coach is with us, we are with the coach, so that’s perfect. The situation will change for sure.

Feeling freedom here at Chelsea compared to Atletico Madrid?

"Yeah, it’s a different kind of football. The league is different. The way the teams play in La Liga and Premier League is totally different. I felt that in the first game. Chelsea is a team who likes to attack, who likes to have the ball and likes to dominate the game, so that’s the game I like to play. I feel very free to play here, to play as I like. I’m loving it."

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