The 26-year-old Serbian has insisted that Chelsea FC will not be scared of facing anyone next season, particularly in the Champions League, and is looking forward to a ‘special game’ on Sunday against Arsenal FC at Wembley
Nemanja Mati has been ever-present in the Chelsea FC starting line-up since his return to the club from Portuguese giants Benfica in 2014, and has declared that the Blues are not afraid of facing any of the big teams in the Champions League.
The Serb is also confident that his team will be prepared for the game against Arsenal FC on Sunday, when the Blues taken on their fierce rivals in the curtain-raising F.A. Community Shield at Wembley Stadium.
“I’m not scared of competing with everyone”
The Chelsea FC defensive midfielder spoke to the media in the United States following the Blues’ penalty shoot-out victory against La Liga giants Barcelona, and revealed such games against high-quality opposition only help in the preparations for the coming season.
Mati is quoted by the Guardian as saying: “My dream is to win [the Champions League] and we will see if we are ready to win this season. To be champion you need to have everything: quality, luck and everything. This season I hope we have more luck and with our quality I think that this is enough to be champion.
Chelsea have nothing to fear in the Champions League, says Matic | @SunSteveBrenner http://t.co/Ts2TtgUcoD Pic: Getty pic.twitter.com/2GDeWpiL1U
a Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) . July 29, 2015
“We are a big team and we will show that this season, Ia m sure. We are ready, like I said. We are ready to compete with everyone. Ia m not scared. Our players can compete with all the big stars.”
The Serbian international also spoke regarding the much-anticipated Community Shield clash between old foes Jos Mourinho and ArsA?ne Wenger. “I think wea ll be ready for Arsenal,” Mati said. “We know what we have to expect: ita s always a special game when you play at Wembley and wea ll be ready, for sure.
a Wea ve trained hard but we needed that as we had one month free. We are ready for the next season and I hope we start well with a trophy and we will try to show our quality in the first game. We are ready to compete.”
Mati crucial for Chelsea’s Champions League hopes
The lanky midfielder has established himself as one of the leading defensive midfielders in Europe over the past couple of years, and he is without doubt crucial to Chelsea FC and their hopes of a first Champions League title under Jos Mourinho.
The Serbian international was uncharacteristically poor in the Round of 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain last season, particularly in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it could be put down to some extent to his lack of fitness following his suspension and injury when celebrating the Blues’ Capital One Cup triumph, the former Benfica man did have a noticeable dip in the second half of the season.
As Chelsea FC prepare to get their season underway, Mati will be hoping that he can continue his best form throughout the season – particularly in the knock-out stages of the Champions League, where the Blues are likely to need Herculean performances from their anchorman to have any chance of getting past the biggest sides in Europe.