Benoit Badiashile sends rallying message to Chelsea squad over Champions League objective

Benoit Badiashile has told the Chelsea squad that they must believe in order to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The French defender arrived at Stamford Bridge last month after agreeing to a seven-and-a-half year contract with the Blues. Moving from AS Monaco in a £35 million deal, the 21-year-old has got his Chelsea career off to a fantastic start.

He has partnered up with elite veteran, Thiago Silva, in the defence and has helped the west London outfit to clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Liverpool respectively.

Pre and post the World Cup in Qatar the Blues had been on a tricky run, but Badiashile has helped improve the side following his transfer.

There is still a long way to go this season for Chelsea and the defender, currently they sit in 10th place in the Premier League which is far from where was expected at the beginning of this campaign.

Alongside other signings who arrived the January transfer window, including David Datro Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez, Badiashile will be hoping to Chelsea can have a more successful second half of the season.

The young centre-back wants to achieve Champions League football which would require the Blues to finish in the top four, unless they go all the way in Europe this term.

Speaking to Capital Football, he said: “I am a new signing and still discovering but you have to give all your have to be a success here.

“I am very happy to be here, the level is elevated. The Premier League is the best league in the world.

READ MORE: Why Hakim Ziyech’s January loan move to PSG collapsed on Deadline Day

“Now we have to at least believe we can (qualify for the Champions League through the league). If we pull it off? I don’t know.

“But Chelsea are a big club and the targets have to be lofty. At every big club there are moments when the going gets tough… but I am persuaded that with the big project the club has in place, we can do huge things.”

Badiashile will be hoping to feature for the Blues again in their next fixture as they play host to west London rivals Fulham on Friday at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Having lost the reverse fixture 2-1 last month at Craven Cottage, they will be keen to get revenge and overtake the Cottagers in the league table with a win.