Barbara

the final matches are also very easy. which is always good because maybe we'll be too busy winning the CL to afford to have tough matches in the end to keep EPL title

I would rather have City instead of Spurs as 6th match But I wanted one (or preferably both) of the Manchester teams in the the first 5 matches. It sounds good

Arsenal fans must be happy to be on top of the table couldn't resist

what is it? I already cut half of it!

thanks SS I was trying really hard... but I needed my glasses or contacts, but I'm already on bed to sleep and was too lazy to go get either

sorry for being off topic, but I'm too curious, hahaha What's written in your avatar, I tried to read but I failed

we'll find out in an hour

but he's so young is he in a rush to make most of the matches in the main team? Still, your point is very relevant. I don't know Brazilian players have some obsession with Barça that I can't understand. It seems Barça is all Brazilian players' childhood dream team.

unless they're Brazilian. Then it's Barcelona. Wanting to go to Barcelona over other teams these days I understand. But RM? They're a mess and now without Mourinho - even if Carlo goes there - I think they won't be winning anything important any time soon because the likes of Ramos and Casillas think the club is theirs. The club has too many people worrying about their own interests. As a Blanco myself, I feel really sorry about how badly managed that club is. It's sad.

I think more than wanting big names in the FW position, we need it. I wouldn't mind Cavani at all... don't like that it feels like he thinks RM is better than CFC, but then again he has a right to think so. It's an outrageous amount of money though. But if Roman has it, so be it. Let's hope for a better cost-benefit than Torres.

As if he would ever leave Barça. He's a Italian because Mazinho was playing there when he was born. He could have chosen between having a Brazilian or a Spanish citizenship (he has both but he could only play for one of them and he chose Spain). also he went to Barça at age 14 because he loves the club. His objective was to play for both Barça and Spain NT. I don't see him leaving Barça ever, much less so early, but maybe I'm wrong.

Sorry folks, Portuguese article http://www.espn.com.br/noticia/337156_espanhois-pregam-respeito-ao-taiti-mas-del-bosque-da-pistas-em-treino-e-deve-escalar-reservas But based on the practice that ended a few minutes, Azpilicueta, Torres and Mata are starting against Tahiti on Thursday. This is the 'titular' team that trained tonight: Valdés; Azpilicueta, Sergio Ramos, Albiol e Monreal; Javi Martínez, Cazorla, David Silva e Mata; Torres e David Villa

Objectively, ManUtd is still one of our biggest opponents for the title, so I'd say them at the Bridge to take advantage of a new manager on their side for the first time in nearly 3 decades. I'm sure the players will feel it. At home because Chelsea fans in England deserve Mourinho's EPL first match to be at the Bridge. Using the same reasoning it could also be ManCity that will also have a new manager - although their situation is different from Utd. Both teams from Manchester may struggle a little bit at the beginning because of the management changes and City may take a while to make the formation work with the new signings coming. Not only I hope to face both in the first 5 matches, but I also hope them to face challenging teams. Any point they may miss at that stage can be useful to us. why don't I include us in the adaptation management theory? Because Mourinho knows that club with the palm of his hands even if he only knows (and barely as it's been six years since he left) a few players from his first time here. It doesn't take away the challenge to adapt, but I think he has this edge over Moyes and Pellegrini.

wasn't there a rumor or theory recently that he was homesick and wanted to go back to Spain? He's quite complimentary of London and seems to enjoy the city just fine based in the interview. So whether it was speculation on posters' side or if there was indeed an article about it, I don't think it has any truth to it. yw Jay, come to me whenever you need Mata translation

I'm coming to terms, guys, I'm coming to terms. I haven't watched all 70 matches last season. Probably about 50, so maybe I missed the matches he assisted with his crosses or maybe I missed it during the match - whether the player in the box capitalized the assist or not. I'll keep a closer eye on him next season and come back in a few months with a more accurate review about him.

my Spanish is a bit rusty but I think I could understand 98% of the words he said So I guess it's not that bad after all

I don't know. It sounds like he's saying I'd rather play for Real Madrid but if Chelsea signs me, that's okay. Not the kind of attitude I want, but whatever, I'm just tired of the whole thing with Lewa wanting Bayern at all costs and maybe I'm defensive and bitter and don't want Cavani to take the same route with RM. But it does feel like some players think Chelsea are less than RM, Bayern or whatever. I mean historically they have won more, but we've been around since 1905 - unlike PSG that's been since 1970 if I'm not mistaken - and we have one of the best teams, structure, managers and players in the world at the moment, which makes us one of the best teams in the world. But yeah, I'm probably just exaggerating and being bitter about it

Rough translation The final challenge How he values his season in EnglandIt has been a fantastic year for me all around.Professionally wise, I could win another title and grow as a player and personally wise I can continue to enjoy a city as London Tell us about your daily life in LondonHe wakes up and goes to one of club facilities where he can do all sort of things. He has breakfast there, English classes and it's also where the team practices. He spends the day there and comes back to his house around 4pm. What are your immediate goals for next season?To keep improving and growing as a player as I'm still young and there's so much I can improve. I also want to keep enjoying the Premier League and also London What does it mean to you to represent Adidas and see the new Chelsea kit ad all around the world?Since day one the deal has been fantastic and I've known Adidas people for a while now. It's phenomenal and I'm very happy.In the BTS video you can see how they literally threw paint on us which was very cold. It had been hard, but I think the result was great and the shirt has been a success. Have you had ever been to Brazil before? If you weren't with the team what would you do? What places would you go?I have never been there. I would let David Luiz, Oscar, and Ramires guide me, who are my teammates in Chelsea and who have told me there are beautiful sights in Brazil to visit. Your shirt is #13. Why did you choose it? Does it have a special meaning to you?I played with #13 because Andrea (Iniesta) wasn't with the team at that occasion and I scored a goal. #13 was available and I chose it and I scored and continued doing well, so I decided to stick with the number. Do you have any rituals just before going to the pitch?Always step in the pitch with my right foot What kind of music (or songs) do you listen to before important matches?Here in the NT we have to hear what Sergio Ramos wants as he's the one who chooses the music in the locker room (he makes it sounds like the rest of them don't have a saying ). Now that we're here in Brazil we've been listening to samba, salsa which is not bad to wake people up. How do you feel now, a few hours away from the debut in Confederations Cup?Anxious for the match to be here already. You'll face opponents you're familiar with in EPL - like Luis Suarez. How do you see the match against Uruguay?I think they have a good mix of experienced veteran players like Forlán and young talented players like Cavani and Luis Suarez and I think that's going to be one of our toughest matches. Do you believe you will have a chance to shine tonight?I hope so. The important thing is for us to win, but yeah, I would like so. What would you say to Spaniard fans supporting you from Spain?First of all, thanks for the support they send from there and for they to keep doing it. VOICEOVER (reading some stuff from his notebook)"If we fight, we could lose. If we don't fight, we have already lost. Go Spain. Let's continue living up this dream and writing with gold letters our history. 46 million hearts will fight together to win this. VAMOS!"

I'll translate. Give me a few minutes

another guy supposedly favoring another team over us. If he wants to go to Madrid let him be my guest. If those guys don't respect Chelsea they can GTFO. We're Europe Champions, we have one of the best managers in the world and one of the best attacking midfield to cater to the strikers. If they want to go to Bayern, Real, Barça or whatever and keep repeating so, let them be. We're Chelsea Football Club and that name deserves respect But as someone mentioned earlier, football players in their majority aren't the brightest cookies around.

I really like Pipita and I'd be more than okay if he joined us Not saying he's better than Cavani though

do you guys have any idea when the third kit will hit the stores? I have a few friends going to London next month, they'll bring it to me, but I have to buy online and deliver at the house of a friend of ours in Yeovil... So it would have to be available this month already so I don't take any risks...

thanks @Stingray, for being nice

well, I can't for the life of me remember one of his crosses that was actually a hit. I only remember terrible misses, unfortunate misses, not-so-bad misses, unlucky misses, I'm-hitting-my-head-on-the-wall misses. I disagree about the passer. He passes well because his passes are always risk-less. He doesn't dribble, so he won't try to face up the opponent; he normally just passes the ball to who is closer or back to midfield/defense zones - which means pointless passing. I do agree about him being good defensively. And to name a couple of better RB: Daniel Alves (although I hate him and would rather my mother playing for us rather than him). I like Maicon as well - but I'm biased and he is old. I also like Lahm - like a lot. But none of those guys could actually come to us. So yeah, better stick with César - admitted defeat in the previous post already. I think we need a LB more than we need a RB because the alternative to Cole is Ryan Frigging Bertrand. My dislike for that kid's football knows no limit. I really dislike him. I'm not Cole's biggest fan either (based on his current form). Some games last season he was so lazy I wanted to slap him.

I need to get over my obsession - as a Brazilian - that a LB or a RB should be better attacking rather than defending. That's the tradition here, but time changes and the game is more competitive and compact these days and these guys need to defend. I still evaluate them in a way even in Brazil is changing. I surrender Also, I just found out he has no flaws in dat body of his. It has to make up for a few things