Premier League
Chelsea Captain Reece James Aims For Champions League Spot After Strong Comeback
Reece James is determined to help Chelsea return to the Champions League following his impressive performance in the comeback against Nottingham Forest.
James had an immediate impact upon his return, playing a key role in Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 victory at the City Ground on Sunday, boosting their chances of securing European qualification.
Following a five-month absence due to a hamstring injury, James made a quick impact by coming off the bench and assisting Nicolas Jackson’s winning goal within just three minutes with a precise cross from the right.
The victory moves Chelsea to seventh place in the table as they aim for Europa League qualification after a challenging season. However, James has set his sights even higher, emphasizing that Chelsea must secure a place in the Champions League.
“We’re learning every day,” James told Chelsea TV. “We’re still young and during the season we’ve had a few off days, but on the whole, we’ve improved and we’re coming strong towards the end of the season. Europe is one of the highest levels in club football and we’re one of the biggest clubs in club football, so we want to be pushing each season to be knocking on the door for the Champions League. That’s the aim.”
James was delighted to be back after a frustrating spell out.
“It was so great to be back out there!’ said James. “It’s been a long five months since I played. I’ve been waiting for this return for so long, so I’m happy I can make my comeback today and help the team.
“That’s the first time I’ve played this year. I was just determined to get back before the end of the season and be in good shape to help the team and I’m glad I was able to do that today.”He continued. “It’s been a slow process for me to get back to this stage. Initially, we thought we would be looking at around three months out so to then be out for nearly five was difficult for me to process in my head.”
