Chelsea beat Gent 4-2 in the Conference League earlier this month, with both Axel Disasi and Pedro Neto starting that evening.
Pedro Neto managed to get his name on the scoresheet, bagging his second goal for the Blues since his arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers, after latching on to Axel Disasi‘s lofted ball.
The central defender, who captained Chelsea that day, has now been speaking about his teammate’s strike and his role in it.
He played at right-back, a position John Obi Mikel thinks Disasi struggles in. The Frenchman also started there in the Blues’ 1-0 win against Bournemouth in September.
What Pedro Neto wanted Axel Disasi to do during Gent game
Neto’s goal against Gent was not a freak accident. According to Disasi, the winger had asked him to play that ball during the first half.
Speaking to Chelsea’s official website ahead of the Blues’ next Conference League game against Panathinaikos on Thursday, the 26-year-old said: “Throughout the first half, he was asking me for these types of passes. However, I didn’t find that he was making the right run or had enough space. We discussed that at half-time, and I told him, ‘I’ll do whatever you want me to do on my first ball’.
“So, after making the first touch, I saw that his run was sharper than in the first half and I lofted the ball to him. Then, his finish was super.
“The goal came just seconds after the second half kicked off. You could really tell by his celebration that we’d just discussed that less than five minutes before. That’s why he immediately ran towards me, and he was extremely happy. He’s a nice guy, and I was happy for him, too.”
Neto could start the Panathinaikos tie, though he may be hoping to be rested before getting the nod for Chelsea’s next Premier League match versus Newcastle United.
Neto made a real impact against Liverpool so may have done enough to earn a start on Sunday.
Enzo Maresca prefers Tosin Adarabioyo over Axel Disasi
Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana have been Chelsea’s centre-back pairing this season, but the latter was absent for the Liverpool defeat because of suspension.
Disasi would have been hoping to come in for his compatriot, but Enzo Maresca went with Tosin Adarabioyo instead.
It shows that Adarabioyo is currently above Disasi in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge. However, the former Fulham man had a poor game and could have been sent off for a foul on Diogo Jota.
Disasi may have the chance to overtake Adarabioyo, then, with a good performance against Panathinaikos on Thursday. Adarabioyo had an audition at Anfield and undoubtedly failed it, which is good news for Disasi.
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