IVANOVIC: WE NEED TO COPE WITH PRESSURE
DEFENDER ADMITS CHELSEA HAVE TITLE HANGOVER BUT IS NOT WORRIED BY GAP TO CITY
BRANISLAV IVANOVIC today admitted Chelsea have to learn to play under the pres s ure of bei ng champions but insisted they are not concerned by a five-point gap to Manchester City.
The Blues slumped to a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium as goals from Sergio Aguero ,Vincent Ko mp a ny and Fernandinho extended City’s perfect start to the campaign.
While last season’s runners-up are making the early running, Jose Mourinho’s side have been off the pace and Ivanovic believes his team-mates have to consign last term’s success to history.
“Honestly, we know this is another year,” he said. “Last year, we won the title and we play with extra pressure and we have to adapt to that, we have to forget last season and start thinking about the points this season.
“It was a very difficult game for us but we can come back. Every game is another final so we have to look forward. We know what we haven’t done well in the first two games but there are another 36 and we have to improve ourselves. Yesterday, we didn’t compete with them and this was the problem for us in this game.
“Does the five-point gap concern us? I don’t think so. At the moment, yes it looks a big gap — two games, five points — but also we have to look at our situation and improve.”
Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic made a string of fine saves before Aguero made it 1-0 on 32 minutes.
The Blues marginally improved in the second half and Ivanovic said: “In some parts of the game, we controlled it and looked good but after that maybe our concentration went down and we let them create some problems for us.”