Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has issued a passionate plea to the club’s supporters, urging them not to give up hope ahead of tomorrow night’s daunting Champions League second leg against PSG.
“We Still Believe”: Joao Pedro Tells Chelsea Fans to Stick with the Team
The Blues return to Stamford Bridge nursing a heavy wound after a disastrous 5-2 defeat in the first leg in Paris.
Needing to win by a three-goal margin just to force extra time, the task looks almost impossible. If you walk around the stadium before kick-off, you will struggle to find many believers.
However, the Brazilian forward, who faced the media alongside assistant coach Liam Rosenior today, insists the dressing room still has faith. He pointed to a recent memory as proof that this side can hurt the French champions.
“I think this week was difficult for us,” Pedro admitted.
“We know our strengths and we still believe because of what we showed in the Club World Cup when we won 3-0 [against Paris].
The group believe, the manager believes, the fans should believe as well.”
While the players are asking for backing, the reality on the pitch tells a different story. Chelsea have looked shaky for weeks, and the 5-2 hammering in France exposed serious defensive frailties.
For the fans to truly buy into the idea of a miracle, they need to see a performance that warrants that belief.
Tensions were already simmering in the press conference. Rosenior addressed recent frustrations, including a controversial goal conceded against Newcastle, as well as comments from a club director who stated it is “obvious” that Chelsea are building one of the best squads in the league.
Despite the off-field noise and the steep hill to climb, Joao Pedro remains defiant. He knows the fans will pack the Bridge and make noise, but he also knows that talk is cheap.
If Chelsea want the twelfth man to roar them to an unlikely comeback, they have to go out and show the crowd exactly why they should believe.
