Joao Felix ready to provide the spark in London derby
26 FEB 2023
Today’s Premier League all-London match between Chelsea and Tottenham is a game Joao Felix is particularly excited about as he hopes to put a smile on the fans’ faces, but he is less keen on doing his squad initiation song ahead of the match.
Joao Felix joined Chelsea on loan from Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window and has already shown some promising signs of what he can offer the Blues, with his individual skill and link-up play causing defences plenty of problems so far, while his first goal for the club arrived in our last Premier League away trip, at West Ham United two weeks ago.
That trip to the London Stadium followed his debut at Fulham, meaning today’s match would be his third away capital derby in five appearances for the Blues, if he is selected again by Graham Potter.
Those derbies have provided mixed fortunes so far, with a red card against Fulham and the goal at West Ham. Given the fierce rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham, though, our upcoming trip to north London is a game Joao Felix seems especially eager to make his mark on for all the right reasons.
‘I want to play that game, I’m really excited for the game,’ said Joao. ‘The stadium is very good. The atmosphere will be crazy and the games between Tottenham and Chelsea are always fun to watch. I hope to enjoy it a lot.
‘It feels amazing to be a Chelsea player. A big club in a big league. The league that everyone wants to be in. I am loving being here. I am very, very happy to be here.
‘My debut was hard, but as I say it’s a normal thing in football. Of course being in the debut game it’s always different but it’s a normal thing for us players. A red card is part of our game. I will not get depressed with that. I just keep working, waiting for the next moment to show what I can do and to help the team, and I did it.’
The idea that football is something to be enjoyed crops up a lot when Joao Felix discusses his career. Since growing up idolising Brazilian playmaker Kaka, the Portuguese forward has always been keen to play the game with a smile and to do his best to share it with the supporters in the stands.
Although modest and reluctant to talk up his own ability, it is clear making the fans happy with his performances on the pitch is important to him.
‘I don’t like to speak a lot about me, I don’t like that. I am a player that loves to have the ball, to put creativity on the game and I like to give the chance to the other people to enjoy football because I think during the years the creativity and the magic of the game is disappearing a little bit. I like to give that for the fans.’
However, one thing it seems Joao Felix won’t be enjoying quite so much is singing in front of his new Chelsea team-mates in the build-up to the match against Tottenham.
As has become tradition, all new players undergo the initiation when they join the club, with a bumper concert seemingly on offer for the squad this weekend following our busy January transfer window, although the quality of entertainment provided is yet to be determined.
‘Me and the other new guys will be doing our initiation song in the hotel before the game,’ he said. ‘I’m going to sing a Portuguese song, I don’t know which one yet. I have to train at home in front of the mirror but, yeah, I will have to sing something. I won’t be the best, I’m bad at singing.
‘I will be more nervous for the song than for the game, for sure! The game is my job, it’s my life. It’s what I enjoy. The song is not to enjoy, it’s just to get nervous. I don’t like it but I have to do it.’
The good news for Joao Felix is that his team-mates will surely forgive any bleeding ears resulting from his performance in the hotel if he produces another exciting one on the pitch, to help us bring the three points and London bragging rights back to SW6.
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