Armando, when Thomas Tuchel talked about you and trying to give you opportunities, it was mentioned, it was thing to perform on loan and another at Chelsea. Could you talk about the step up?
Of course, everyone knows Chelsea is one of the best football clubs in the world so it's always going to be tough to get into this team and try to perform for this team. I was very excited to play for the first time in the Premier League and I felt like it was a really good stepping stone for me but now to step up to Chelsea is a bigger thing for me. The opportunities and chances that I do get I will try to perform as much as possible on the pitch and in training to get chances and show what I can do. Ultimately it's always going to be tough at a club like Chelsea, the competitiveness here is very big and very high. I know it's not going to be easy but it's something I strive to look forward to and try to overcome. It's something I enjoy doing.
When you get those opportunities, is it on your mind?
No, I'm a player who plays quite freely. I enjoy playing football, I love playing football so when the manager trusts me to come onto the pitch and make an impact for the side and the fans and everyone, I try my best to do that. When he does put me on, I try to help the team, if it's with a goal, or assists or just playing well and trying to create some chances for the team. When he puts you on, you've just got to try and give your best for the team. It's positive.
READ MORE: Every word Graham Potter said on Chelsea vs Dinamo Zagreb, Zakaria, Kovacic, Koulibaly and Kepa
When you scored your first goal against Wolves, you celebrated with your dad. What are you plans for a first Champions League goal?
We'll see. Hopefully I can score and help out the team. I don't think I've got any plans as of now. We'll see at the time of the game
Are you starting tomorrow?
We'll see, it's up to the manager and what he chooses. He picks the team. If I am starting, if I'm not starting I'm going to give my best always for the club. It's up to the manager.
You've featured in all but one game since Graham Potter took charge. How encouraged have you been?
It's good, a lot of young players can get upset with not as much playing time but I try and look at the positives from it. Try and develop myself as a football players and as a person and every day working with big footballers and good people around me, it's a positive impact for me personally as a football player. I try to maintain that in training and look forward to the opportunities that he does give me and try to make the most out of them. It's an encouraging thing for me, It shows the manager does trust me to come on the pitch and impact matches and change performances around. I just try to help out as much as I can.
How did the squad process the Brighton defeat?
We know it was a bad defeat. We're going to bounce back from it, we're going to dust ourselves off and we're going to go again. We've got to brush that aside because we've got a game coming up tomorrow which is also important. We're looking forward now to the next four games we've got before the World Cup and we're going to try to get as many points, and get as far in the Carabao Cup as we can and the Champions League. The next matches ahead of us are equally important so we're going to do our best to get far in those competitions and also rack up as many points as we can.
Your future was spoken about a lot in the summer, West Ham move looked like it could happen but ultimate you signed a six-year contract. How did it all pan out?
There's always talk from the media, you see it everywhere and every club. For me, I was just focusing on trying to be ready for the season, getting ready for pre-season and trying to show the manager what I can do for the club and trying to get into Chelsea. I wasn't too worried about what was going on outside of football, I was more focused on myself and being ready for the season and trying to get the best out of myself so I wasn't sure what was going on outside.
Did you ever see it as a gamble signing such a long contract?
I see it as an opportunity for me, for my family. This is my boyhood club, I love to play for Chelsea, for the fans and for the club. I will do my best and give it my all to try and break into the starting lineup and to get as many opportunities as I can. It's a big stepping stone from where I was last season to where I am now. I just want to keep improving as a player and a person also. That's my aim, to get better and there are not many better clubs to learn from than Chelsea.
Main objective is to improve your status but do you get any motivation playing against one of the best teams in the part of Europe your family is from?
Not really. I feel like every game is as important as all the rest. It doesn't really matter who the opposition is, it just matters on ourselves and our performances. If we turn up tomorrow, the way we've been training the last two days we'll get a result from the game. We're focusing on our team. We know it's going to be a tough game, we know they're a good team but we're going to focus on ourselves and try to get three points and go into the knockout stages high.
How do you remember Dinamo as a team?
We know they're a good club, we know they have something to fight for as they are trying to qualify for the Europa League. We know it's going to be tough but like I said we're focusing on ourselves and what we can bring to the game. We're going to try and win the game for us and go into the knockout stages on a high note.
Do you expect them to play the same way?
I'm not too sure, I'm not their manager. We'll see what they do, but we're ready for everything.
You have grown up with Albanian parents and recently, people form your country have been given a hard time with regard to the immigration issue in this country. I'm just curious how you feel about that as a young Albanian guy who grew up in this country and how you feel about it?
I haven't really read what was going on but for me personally, I've always loved to say I'm proud to be from Albania. My parents are both from there and my origins are from there but I love being from that country and to be able to play for the national team is a big honour for me. I've not ready much into that but I can only speak for myself and I'm proud to be from there and an amazing country.
READ NEXT:
Behind the scenes in Chelsea training for Dinamo clash as four youngsters join amid injury issue
Chelsea's next four fixtures compared to Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham with two top four deciders
Thomas Tuchel breaks silence on abrupt Chelsea exit as Todd Boehly given brutally honest verdict
Graham Potter has Reece James solution as frustrated Chelsea duo leave him with no choice
Graham Potter slammed for over-rotation with 'bad' signing for Chelsea playing too much
