Marco Palestra has admitted he must improve to succeed at Chelsea after making his first competitive start for the club in a 2-0 Premier League win over Manchester United.
The £47 million summer signing from Atalanta, the first arrival of the Xabi Alonso era, had an injury-hit start to life at Stamford Bridge. Saturday’s (October 31) victory, sealed by Morgan Rogers’ 50th-minute solo goal and Cole Palmer’s penalty after Lisandro Martinez’s red card, was his first start in the competition.
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Speaking to Chelsea’s official channels, the 21-year-old was asked to recall the moment his June move was confirmed. He said (via The Evening Standard):
“I was just happy because, when I was young, I never thought I could be a Chelsea player. So the first emotion was only happiness. Now I am still happy, but I need to improve myself to win with this team.”
The Serie A Defender of the Year award he won with Cagliari on loan last season earned him the move in the first place; the defending now decides whether he keeps the shirt.
He also credited Marco Fioretto, the coach who moved him from midfield to out wide at 16:
“When I was a bit older, like 16, our coach changed my position. His name is Marco Fioretto. He was the first one who moved me from midfield to out wide and he maybe changed my career.”
Parts of the support questioned his positioning against United, where Amad Diallo found space in the first half. Despite this, the Blues did not concede against the Red Devils. The clean sheet was Chelsea’s first in a home league win since January.
Chelsea’s start to the season, and the games ahead
Alonso’s side are fourth with 16 points from nine matches, five wins, one draw and three defeats, and 19 goals scored. The 5-1 home win over Bournemouth, the 2-0 victory at Everton and the United result came either side of a 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham.
Sunday’s trip to Sunderland offers a chance to build. The Black Cats are bottom on five points and have scored once in four home league games, though they beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge last October and 2-1 again on the final day of last season.
After the international break, the Blues host Leeds United. Reece James is reportedly out until the new year after minor knee surgery, Maxence Lacroix is out until 2027 with a hamstring injury, and Joao Pedro is expected back after the break.
Edited by Vignesh Raja
