Enzo Fernandez interview: “I want to follow in Frank Lampard's footsteps at Chelsea and win many more trophies” | Football news

Enzo Fernandez smiles at the mention of his 92nd-minute winner against West Ham last Saturday. Another highlight in a season full of twists and turns. It was goal number 11 of the campaign and the latest to come from a run into the box reminiscent of Frank Lampard.

The 25-year-old has undergone a transformation from deep-lying playmaker to Lampard-type goalscorer at Chelsea. And it turns out he's done his homework on a club legend who briefly acted as head coach between Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino.

“It’s a source of inspiration,” he says Aerial sports. “I've watched a lot of videos of Frank since he arrived at Chelsea. I saw how he got into the last few meters of the pitch and how he got into the box.”

Now Fernandez is doing it himself. In fact, he has exactly the same number of goals as Lampard in his first 151 appearances, with 27, all scored with the same Chelsea shirt number on his back.

“While he was our coach, I didn't play in that position, I played further back, so I couldn't talk to him much about it. But I have watched and learned from his videos since I arrived at the club.

“He was an exceptional player and a legend here for Chelsea. I don't like to be compared to him, because he achieved much more here than me. He is an idol. I hope to follow in his footsteps at Chelsea.”

Clearly, there is still a long way to go to match Lampard's achievements. But Fernandez has accumulated a lot in his three years. These 151 appearances and 27 goals. But also five head coaches, two trophies won and a gradual vindication of his £107m price tag.

There is never a dull moment at Chelsea and although his outstanding performances this season have sparked rumors of interest from Real Madrid, Fernandez, now vice-captain and leader on and off the pitch, does not appear to be a player in a hurry to move on.

“I am grateful for the three years I spent at the club,” he said. “It’s getting worse and better. Being here today makes me very happy.

“I want to continue winning things with the club, because that's what this jersey demands. I'm very connected to the club and I feel very good, so I hope to win a lot more trophies here.”

He will not add the Carabao Cup to his list of achievements after Chelsea's semi-final defeat against Arsenal. “Of course there is anger at not being able to play another final for Chelsea, but I am proud of the team who gave everything in these two matches,” he said.

However, there is still a lot to play for this season.

Chelsea are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, the fourth round of the FA Cup, and are aiming to finish as high as possible in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's visit to Wolves.

Few players will have a bigger role than their World Cup-winning midfielder in the outcome of it all. Fernandez has contributed more goals and assists than any other Chelsea player since the start of last year and was described this week as one of the best players in the Premier League by Aerial sports expert Jamie Carragher.

“I want to publicly thank him for saying those words about me,” Fernandez says. “I’m grateful to hear that from a legend like him.”

His gratitude extends to the club and its supporters for helping him overcome the difficulties that followed his arrival from Benfica.

“I give 100% every day, in every training session. Every time I have the opportunity to defend Chelsea and wear the jersey, I do my best, because they trust me.

“I want to give that back to them on the pitch. Obviously, now I see and feel that I'm doing well. I also want to thank the Chelsea fans, who always show me their love. I feel very close to them.”

Carragher's analysis of Fernandez focused on his goals. “He is one of the best box breakers we see in the Premier League, constantly putting an end to things,” he said.

It's a talent modeled on Lampard's, but Fernandez's is now being honed under new head coach Liam Rosenior. “He’s a great coach,” he said. “He only arrived a month ago but he is showing all his potential.

“Football doesn't give time. It only wants results. That's how it is. But he manages to get results and he gives us a lot of confidence, so we are very happy that he is with us. We all felt how much we are growing, both as a group and me on a personal level.”

Fernandez is encouraged to act on his offensive instincts. Opta's advanced data shows he has made more runs, making him an option for a center than any other player in the Premier League this season and Rosenior is asking for more.

“I enjoyed being able to add goals and assists to my game,” he says. “The coach gives me freedom. He gives me the freedom to express myself in the last meters of the pitch and I feel good.

“We have a game plan for every game and that's what Liam asks for. He gives us freedom in the final third and I try to get there, in the box, so my teammates have another option.

“It's something I've been working on in training. But the most important thing, I think, is also being in good physical condition to get into the last few meters of the box, because I play in midfield and I have to move up and down a lot in my position.

“I feel prepared for that now. I prepare myself for those moments.”

He admits he struggled to meet the physical demands of the Premier League at first. Rosenior's predecessor Enzo Maresca cited physicality after dropping him for Romeo Lavia at the start of last season.

But his improvement is clear. Fernandez has played more minutes than any of his Chelsea teammates this season and ranks among the top 15 players in the Premier League for distance covered.

“I’ve been trying to feel that way for a long time, to be as competitive as I am now,” he says. “Consistency is very important. I give 100 percent every day, every training, every match, and I think that leads to great results.”

Fernández is proof of that. He is, of course, primarily an exceptional technical player, but he is now relishing the increasing physical side of English football, with its emphasis on duels and set pieces, as demonstrated in Tuesday's match against Arsenal.

“I like it. For me, the Premier League is the best league in the world today, so the physical level is exhausting. But I like it. I think it's very important to be ready to play every three days at this level.”

Fernandez tries to make himself available to his teammates as well as his head coach in his role as vice-captain behind Reece James.

It’s clear that leadership comes naturally to him.

“It’s about being available for the group, for my teammates, and in this case for the new coach, and supporting them on a daily basis,” he explains. “There have been a lot of changes, so it’s also about asking my teammates how they are, how they feel with the coach.

“I think the human side of leadership is very important. Sharing with my teammates, on and off the field, is very important to me. I always try to support them and be with them. If they need help, advice or anything else, I am always available to help them.”

There is no doubt that Fernandez is helping now, as a leader, as a goalscorer and as one of the best players in the Premier League, determined to lead Chelsea to new successes.

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