00:21Okay, good afternoon and thank you for joining us.
00:25We will take questions from the floor.
00:27We are joined by head coach Liam Rosinia and Joao Pedro.
00:31If you can wait for a microphone to come over and we'll get underway with Nizar Kinsella in the front
00:36here, please.
00:41Hi Liam, we saw you're up in training today and there's a few notable absentees.
00:46Can you tell us about how they are?
00:52Yeah, so with Rhys, he's felt something in his hamstring at the end of the game against Newcastle.
00:58Really frustrating and disappointing one for us.
01:01We don't know the full extent of that injury, but that rules him out for tomorrow's game.
01:05Is the Rhys one quite serious then potentially?
01:08Is it the weeks or that kind of time frame?
01:11It could be. With a hamstring injury, it's never great.
01:15And for Rhys, hopefully we can just get him scanned.
01:18We can find out the full extent and then we know more.
01:21Because obviously we know what an important player he is, what an important leader he is in the group.
01:25He's our captain.
01:27And also in terms of Malo, he's ill today.
01:30So we'll have a look at him for tomorrow.
01:33And the other one...
01:35Philip and Esteveau as well, please.
01:37Yeah, Esteveau's back in training.
01:38He'll be a part of the group.
01:39We'll assess whether he can take part in the game at some point tomorrow.
01:43And with Philippe, he's felt something in his groin after the PSG game.
01:47And again, we're getting him scanned to find out the full extent of that injury.
01:52Appreciate it, thank you.
01:53Gary, behind please.
01:56Hi, better news.
01:58Pedro Neto just emerged.
02:01He's just got away with a warning, so he's available.
02:03Yeah, fantastic.
02:04He's a top player.
02:05He's apologised for the incident in Paris.
02:09There was no real bad intention from him.
02:11He wanted to get on with the game.
02:13And I think UEFA have made the right decision.
02:15And from maybe slightly disrespecting the ball boy to respecting the ball,
02:20you've heard the fallout after the huddle.
02:23Will he do it again?
02:26I think in terms of the huddle, I think it's been blown out of proportion, to be honest.
02:31It's a small, small thing amongst many, many serious things that we need to address,
02:36such as the massive game against PSG tomorrow.
02:39In terms of the huddle, the lads have always wanted to show unity and togetherness.
02:42I think they'll continue to do that.
02:44But what we don't want to do is antagonise or bring more noise on ourselves,
02:48and we'll make the decision on where we do that on the pitch tomorrow.
02:51Because there's obviously been people reacting in all aspects of the media, including social media.
02:57I saw you referred to by one WAG as Glenn Huddle.
03:02Is it a distraction to carry on doing it in the centre circle?
03:05I think it's a distraction for the media.
03:08For us, we never...
03:10When the huddle was something, the players wanted to show unity.
03:14They're a good group.
03:15We never wanted to antagonise anyone or create noise.
03:19The time to think, talk about it is stocked.
03:21We have a huge game against PSG tomorrow.
03:23We have an opportunity to do something really, really special.
03:26We know we need to be perfect, and I would rather focus on that.
03:29Gentleman in the fourth row, please.
03:31Hello. Question for Liam from Elias Peters, 90min.
03:35You did have a game this weekend against Newcastle, but PSG didn't.
03:39What does it change for you before the game against PSG tomorrow?
03:46Obviously, they have more rest.
03:48That's natural, but that's normal.
03:51I can't speak about other league schedules or what they do.
03:54What I can do is try and make sure that my team and our team are ready
03:57to give absolutely everything into this game in terms of the intensity,
04:01in terms of the quality that we need,
04:03and hopefully we can turn around a difficult scoreline,
04:06but not an impossible one.
04:08Dom, second row here, please.
04:12Thanks.
04:13Question for Joao, please.
04:14I think when you joined Chelsea in the summer,
04:17you made it clear that a big reason why you were joining
04:19is that you wanted to play Champions League football.
04:21You were looking very much forward to that.
04:23How much have you enjoyed being in the Champions League this season?
04:26And if it is to be the end of the journey tomorrow,
04:28obviously you hope that it won't be,
04:29how much do you feel that this team would have fallen short?
04:35To play in the Champions League, I think it's the dream of every player.
04:41And, yeah, I'm enjoying a lot to be here.
04:44And Chelsea, I'm happy here.
04:46And tomorrow I have another opportunity to show to everyone our power.
04:52And hopefully we can win the game.
04:56The gentleman next, to Dom, please.
05:00Thank you for the gaffer.
05:02Hugo Ramirez from Televisa Univision.
05:04It's going to be the fifth time you're going to face
05:07Luis Enrique head-to-head.
05:10Obviously your time in Strasbourg.
05:12What can you do different this time,
05:14especially in the last 15 minutes of the first leg in the Parc des Princes,
05:18to do that perfect game that you need to do to get over this series?
05:25Yeah, I think if you look at the game in isolation,
05:30you look at the scoreline,
05:31we were punished by some very good players by our mistakes.
05:35And for us, I think it's been a theme.
05:38I think we performed consistently very well.
05:42But we've been undone in games by moments of focus or concentration.
05:45For us to go through the tie tomorrow,
05:48we need to be perfect in terms of not making mistakes,
05:51in terms of our performance in possession, our possession.
05:54We have to remember that PSG are the European champions for a reason.
05:58But we've also shown in times that we can definitely compete
06:01and beat them in isolated games.
06:04Simon.
06:05I've got a question for Liam and Shuao.
06:08First, Liam, sorry to ask you a question
06:10about something that happened before you even here, obviously.
06:13It's not the first time.
06:15Chelsea have had a fine today for sort of flouting rules.
06:20Just want to sort of clarify,
06:23that won't be a negative distraction for you or the club?
06:26No, it's not a negative distraction.
06:28I think, actually, that's a line drawn through that issue.
06:33We can move on and we can plan to make this club as strong as possible in a long term.
06:37And that is the idea from the ownership, myself and everybody involved with the club.
06:43And for you, Israel, it's been a difficult few days for the club.
06:48The defeat in the first leg, the defeat on Saturday.
06:51Now the news about Rhys as well.
06:54How much belief is there still that you can sort of still do something tomorrow night
07:00and make something of this season as well?
07:04I think this week has been, like I said, difficult for us.
07:10But we know our strength.
07:12We know the players here.
07:16We still believe we can do again because we show our power in the Club World Cup.
07:22We won 3-0.
07:23And tomorrow we need to score three goals again.
07:25So, yeah, I think the group believe, the coach believe.
07:29I think the first should believe as well.
07:31Because tomorrow is going to be a great game for everyone to watch.
07:36Yes, third row, please.
07:38I'm working for the French public TV and we're doing a TV story about you and your careers.
07:42So, I have a broader question.
07:43But what does it mean to you to manage a club like Chelsea?
07:47And did you ever think your path would take you from Strasbourg to Chelsea one day?
07:53Yeah, obviously it's a huge honour to manage this football club as it would be for any manager in any
07:58walk of life.
07:59It's one thing to be here.
08:00It's another thing to have the passion and the drive to make it successful.
08:04And that's what my focus is on now.
08:07In life, in football, you don't know where your path will take you.
08:10I joined Strasbourg to join Strasbourg and I had a wonderful time there.
08:13I never thought that within 18 months I would be manager here.
08:17That's just not how life works.
08:19Jacob, in the front, please.
08:23Hi, Liam.
08:23You said last week after the first leg that you would look to get to the bottom of how your
08:29line-up was leaked to the French media quite a few hours before the game.
08:33Have you managed to do that and would you be unimpressed if it happens again tomorrow?
08:37I'll be really honest.
08:38I haven't even thought about that.
08:40I haven't.
08:41It's not the first time it's happened.
08:42It won't be the last time.
08:44I'm not talking in terms of me.
08:46I'm talking about any team or any club.
08:48I'm focused on winning the game.
08:50Tomorrow, I was focused on the Newcastle game.
08:54These things happen.
08:56It's disappointing, but I'm sure it won't happen again.
08:59Matt.
09:00Hi, Liam.
09:01Last month there was a meeting between one of the club directors and a fans group, and in it the
09:07director told them that it's obvious we are building one of the best teams in the world.
09:12Would you concur with that, and do you believe that Chelsea will become one of the best teams in the
09:18world?
09:18Yeah, I do.
09:19I do.
09:21I think it's really difficult because you want to be successful in the now.
09:25I want to be successful right now, as everybody does.
09:28But at the same time, you have to plan for the future.
09:32There is an idea for this club to be successful in a long time for a long time, not just
09:36for one year, but to have consistent success.
09:39And if you want to build something, you need to make sure the foundation is there, and then the results
09:44follow.
09:45I know the plans.
09:46I'm excited by the plans.
09:48I'm excited to be a part of it, and I'm very excited by players like Zhao joining the club at
09:52the age that they're at.
09:53I'm looking forward to a long period of working with them and making sure we get the success that this
09:58club deserves.
10:00Jack?
10:01You said on Saturday at the end that you'd have a conversation with PJMOL and Howard Webber.
10:06I was wondering if you've had that conversation over the weekend and what it entailed.
10:09No, I didn't have a meeting scheduled this week with them in person, which I think would be better.
10:15The point of what I was saying after the game, it wasn't about the huddle.
10:19It was about my perspective on certain decisions made in the game.
10:23It would be great to meet them and have an in-depth conversation with them.
10:26You spoke about building there.
10:28You also spoke on Saturday about having a new way of pressing and that you've been punished by PSG.
10:32No, I said it's a new way for my players to pressing.
10:35Do you feel that you spoke about being punished by PSG in that game as well?
10:39Do you feel it's something you've gone maybe too quickly with, having only been here and not had the time?
10:43No, I think if you look at the game against PSG, the goals had nothing to do with our press.
10:50Especially the most important goal, which for me was the third goal.
10:53And then it goes from there.
10:55I think the press that we had against PSG and in other games has given us the platform of our
10:59performances.
11:00And yeah, the longer you get to work at it, the better you'll be.
11:04It was said before, I think it's 17 games in 10 weeks.
11:08It's a lot of games to play with not much training time.
11:10I think the lads have given it the best shot possible in terms of what I want to put into
11:15the team.
11:16And if we continue in the vein that I see, I think we'll improve and get better at it.
11:20Ian, just behind, please.
11:22Hi, Liam.
11:23Just with Rhys, is he worried it is quite a serious one?
11:27Because obviously he played the 90 minutes and then felt like he's had a lot of injuries over the last
11:31three years.
11:32No, I think any player at any time, if you feel something, you're going to be worried about it.
11:37Like I said before, once we get the full diagnosis, then we can make a statement about it.
11:43Do you know where that, did it happen sort of, right, obviously it happened right at the end of the
11:46game?
11:46Yeah, it was towards the end of the game.
11:48Yeah, okay.
11:49Thanks.
11:50Okay, we'll end it there, guys.
11:51Thanks very much.
11:54Thank you, guys.
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