GIROUD’S GETTING PICKY
OLIVIER GIROUD has been warned he must play more regularly – or risk losing his place in the France squad for the Euros.
The Chelsea veteran, 34, is proving age is no barrier with red- hot form in the Champions League.
His stunning four- goal haul in Seville on Wednesday night made it five in two European games.
But Giroud admitted France manager Didier Deschamps has already told him that unless he continues to play, he might have to consider leaving him out.
World Cup winner Giroud has made it clear he is desperate to stay at Chelsea and “win trophies” but he must now rely on club manager Frank Lampard picking him – and that is not guaranteed, even after his goalscoring feats in Europe.
Giroud, who has yet to start in the Premier League this season, said: “I had a conversation with Didier Deschamps and obviously he said if the situation stayed like that ‘ you will have to take a decision in
January’.
“But I’m pretty sure that I can grab some more game time and stay at
Chelsea, because that’s what
I want.
“I want to win trophies with Chelsea. So basically that’s it. But you never know in football – everything is going very fast. But right now I’m very happy and proud to be a Chelsea player.
“If I play more than in the beginning of the season I think I have a good chance to be fit, to be ready for the Euros.” Giroud has now scored 17 goals in Europe, more than any other
Chelsea player since he arrived at the club in 2018, but Lampard’s troops are unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions.
The thumping 4- 0 win over Sevilla was a night of personal records in Europe, though. Giroud was the first Chelsea player since Peter Osgood in 1971 to score four goals in a game. He was the first to do it for an English team, after Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2004.
And the first Frenchman after Bafetimbi Gomis got four for Lyon in 2011.
But most importantly, it was vindication for a player who has always defied his critics and detractors throughout his career.
Giroud was prolific for Arsenal despite being told he could not score against top- level opponents, won the World Cup with France in 2018 and has now become crucial for Chelsea as he enjoys a career renaissance at Stamford Bridge. He said: “People used to say I always built myself, all through my career, on adversity. But if I didn’t play much so far [ this season], you have to accept it and you have to work hard at training to show the gaffer that you are ready and give him the confidence back when he asks you to play. I just tried to do that.
“To keep playing football after 30 you need to keep the faith, keep believing that you can always improve.
“It’s just psychological.
“The motivation is still here, the body is answering well.
“So yeah, I feel like I’m 25.”