Private: Exclusive: Q&A with Paris Saint-Germain star Thiago Silva

Sport360 staff 17:12 11/03/2015
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  • Getting stuck in: Thiago Silva believes Chelsea will try and hurt PSG on the counter-attack.

    Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva is confident his side can upset Chelsea tonight and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Brazil skipper also backs David Luiz to shine on his return to Stamford Bridge and reiterates his admiration for Chelsea winger Eden Hazard.

    – Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho blasts ‘aggressive’ Paris Saint-Germain
    – Time running out for PSG’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic to claim elusive UCL medal

    Chelsea is a very difficult place to go and get a positive result, how confident are you?

    Chelsea have on of the best home records in Europe, but we have reasons to be positive. In Paris if it was not for their goalkeeper we would have won the game. We just have to believe we can be the better team once again, and hope that means a positive result.

    Jose Mourinho is a tactically defensive coach. How much do you expect Chelsea to be defensive-minded?
    The reality is that we need to score and Chelsea don’t, so I do expect them to be very defensive. We don’t need to score two or three goals; maybe we only need one so we can be patient in our approach as well.

    How dangerous do you expect Chelsea to be on the counter attack? 
    On the counter attack is where I expect Chelsea to be at their most dangerous. I am sure they are going to invite us to attack them, and then try and hurt us on the counter attack. We know they have the palyers who are very strong playing that way, so yes it is something we need to be careful of.

    Do you expect David Luiz to get a good reception at his former club?
    It will be very surprising if David gets anything other than a good reception from the CHelsea fans. He was a big part of a lot of success there, including them winning the Champuions League, so I think a great reception is the only reception the fans can give him.

    Is it possible that the occasion of being back at Chelsea could distract him?
    We have spoken and I know he is excited to go and see the fans and his old team mates, but like the rest of us David is desperate to win the Champions League. He is used to playing in big games, he is a total professional, and he will be focussed.

    You were very complimentary of Eden Hazard, even saying that you would love him at PSG?
    This season he has been one of the top players in Europe, any club would want him. Chelsea are not crazy though, I am sure they would not want to sell a player of that quality.

    PSG captain Thiago Silva is a big admirer of Chelsea winger Eden Hazard.

    Will PSG be looking at Zlatan to produce a moment of magic in London?
    Zlatan is one of the top players in the world, in big games, in any games, we know that he can score goals from anything. Our attacking players is very strong, it is not just Zlatan that Chelsea needs to be careful of.

    With all the money spent is there a pressure on PSG to win the Champions League?
    All the big clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern are under pressure to win the Champions League, and with the project we have here that is the level we want to be at. Of course everybody at the club is desperate for the trophy.

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