The
finals are coming in quick succession for Chelsea.
Whether they are true finals, like Saturday's FA Cup defeat to Leicester and
next weekend's Champions League showpiece against Manchester City, or
must-win league matches in the top-four race, there's huge importance on
every 90 minutes the team play right now.
Their last eight fixtures read: London derby, Champions League semi-final,
London derby, Champions League semi-final, Manchester City away, London
derby, FA Cup final, crucial top-four clash.
The last in that list, the potentially pivotal 2-1 win over Leicester in
front of 10,000 returning home fans at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, has set
up a final-day 'final' at Aston Villa. Win and Chelsea will be guaranteed
third place and a Champions League spot for next season.
The FA Cup final loss hurt but a top-four finish would underline the
impressive upturn in form under new boss Thomas Tuchel, who came in with
Chelsea ninth in the table.
While the Champions League final - and the historic opportunity that
presents - is just a few more days away, Chelsea's players are zoning in on
Sunday. Another final.
"Every game we play is like a final," Kai Havertz tells Sky Sports during an
exclusive interview. "We will go into this game like a final and we will
give everything.
"[The Premier League win over Leicester] is what we wanted. It was a very
important game for us to win. We showed a great team spirit, a great game on
the pitch, and it was nice to have the fans back. The atmosphere was very
good. But the job is not finished 100%. We have to go again on Sunday.
"After Sunday we can fully focus on the Champions League final but right
now, in every player's mind is only the game on Sunday."
Havertz was unable to contribute to Chelsea's win over Leicester due to a
hamstring problem but, speaking to us after a Friday morning training
session, he is confident of returning to action at Villa Park.
"I feel good, I was lucky it was only a small injury," he says, before
explaining why a top-four finish means so much to the modern player.
"For us it's the most important thing," he says. "You come here to Chelsea
of course to win trophies but we knew that the first half of the season was
not the best and now we're in a place where we have to come to the top four.
"The title is gone for the season and we want to play Champions League next
year, that's 100% sure. Every player has the quality to play in the
Champions League. We will give our best and hopefully we will end up there
and play next year in the Champions League."
The relentless run of high-pressure games appears to have formed a strong
bond of togetherness among the Chelsea players. With a maturity beyond his
21 years, Havertz, when discussing frustrations about his own form this
season, says: "Right now the most important thing is to finish well. You
have to put your ego aside and give your best for the team."
That attitude will please boss Tuchel but, such is Havertz's talent, he will
also be eager to see his player back fit for the last two 'finals' and back
to his best on a more regular basis next season.
Reflecting on his first campaign in England, Havertz says the coronavirus
restrictions and the knock-on effect the pandemic had on a congested fixture
schedule made his start to life at Chelsea tough.
However, with the support of friend, Germany team-mate, and fellow summer
signing Timo Werner, Havertz feels he has been able to overcome those
challenges and start to find his feet in the Premier League.
"To be honest, it's very tough. It's a big change," says Havertz. "It's very
hard because you play every three days and the intensity here is much more
than in Germany, to be honest.
"Of course it's a big change for us but for me it always felt good to have
Timo next to me because we can talk to each other. We were both in very
difficult situations. He was also unlucky this season. But I think right
now, for two or three months, we both play very well and I hope we can
continue like that.
"When you come to London you want to live the life here but in the last few
months, it was not possible. You always had to stay at home and things like
that, so we didn't experience much from the city. Only football always. But
hopefully next season that will change a little bit and we can experience a
little bit more.
"I know it was a tough season for me, not the best season of me. But I knew
before I came it would take some months to adapt to this league, to the
country, and since [the last] two or three months I feel very confident. I
play well, I score goals, I assist some goals and that is what I want to do.
"Of course it was not the best season but I always look forward step by step
and try to do my best to help the team. I know I can do a lot better, and
hopefully I will do better in the next season."
Havertz's adaptation to England's top flight perhaps wasn't helped by him
being used in a variety of positions during the first half of the season. In
total, Havertz has played as many as 11 different roles for Chelsea in
2020/21.
However, in a new, unfamiliar position, picked out for him by Tuchel, he has
been able to show glimpses of his exciting ability.
"I would call it maybe a false nine," he says, describing his central
attacking role in Chelsea's 3-4-2-1.
"I'm not the big guy in the middle like some strikers. I play the position a
little bit different. That's why it's good we have a lot of quality players
up front next to me, and it's always easy to play with them.
"For me it's a good position and I like it. I feel very comfortable there.
"I always like to go into the spaces and get the ball there and I like to
play up front near to the goal, that's also very good for me, so all in all
I think I like the position and it suits me."
Team-mate Mateo Kovacic has described Havertz as "the future of the club"
and that false nine role, and how players fit in around him could be the key
template for Chelsea, Tuchel and Havertz in the future.
But long-term plans must be put to one side in this moment. As Havertz says,
right now the focus is on their next final at Villa Park.
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