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Chelsea defender Thiago Silva said the Premier League’s “long ball football” kept him from moving to England until the later stages of his career.
The center-back, who turned 36 on Tuesday, joined Chelsea on a free transfer this summer after eight years at Paris Saint-Germain and will make his debut against Barnsley in Wednesday’s EFL Cup third-round clash for the night.
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Silva has enjoyed a brilliant career that has included seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles after a three-year stint with AC Milan, where he also won Serie A, while accumulating 88 caps for Brazil.
And when asked if he ever came close to playing in the Premier League before this season, Silva replied: “If I said ‘yes’ to that, I’d be lying. I’ve never really seen myself in the Premier League before. That was because he saw it as a difficult style of football, personally, he had no desire to play in the Premier League.
“My impression of American football was the one with the long, high ball and long shots. At that time, I couldn’t really see myself playing in that championship. But over time, the championship has developed enormously. There is much more technical quality.
“Many teams play with the ball on the ground, full-backs attacking in the area. Obviously each team has its own idea, its own strengths, but I have previously seen it characterized by long balls and that does not appeal to me.
“Obviously I know how to play like that but my preference was to play football with the ball on the ground. I knew my quality. But little by little, the Premier League really beat me.
“Anyone who knows me can confirm it. Now, at 36, I’m here to play the best championship in the world. Normally, the Premier League is the championship that puts young players at stake, so I come here as a senior.” player and I see it’s because Chelsea and [head coach] Frank Lampard wants a player with my experience.
“If you want someone to be a runner, I’ll use the words Carlo Ancelotti used to describe the signing of James [Rodriguez], they would have signed Usain Bolt. With my experience and the excellent young players here, I look forward to helping them in this new adventure. “
Lampard is eager to add experience to his baseline, which conceded the most goals (54) in the Premier League top 10 last season, but Silva’s age has raised concerns that he will be vulnerable to the fast pace of the game. English game.
“I don’t worry at all because I know where I want to go and I have high hopes for this young team,” he said. “I feel great, age is just a number on a document.
“Physically I feel young. I am very well prepared for this, I have been preparing all my life. People who know me know how much I love my work, how I dedicate 200% to it. This is a great opportunity that Chelsea and Lampard have given me. given, I don’t want to let you down. “
