Fofana: Today felt like a PL match, not a typical pre-Season game

After a 1-2 pre-season friendly defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea defender Fofana was interviewed by the club's official media.

Wesley, first of all, the result today is obviously disappointing, but how would you assess the team's performance?

I think we played well, but when the opponent got a red card, we definitely needed to take complete control of the game. We needed to be more mature and finish the game. But you know, this is also a lesson we need to learn. We will learn from it and come back stronger. We need to go back and analyze the game and address these issues in the upcoming training sessions. We will also make some adjustments for the next game.

Today was a very physical game, it felt like a Premier League match. Was this the Tottenham Hotspur you expected before the game?

Of course. Whether it's pre-season or not, this is a London derby. We all want to win, and we know there's a strong rivalry between the two clubs. So it was a tough game, very intense, not like a normal pre-season game. But we understood that and tried to do everything we could. Of course, we're disappointed with the result, but that's okay. We need to keep working hard and come back.

You played 75 minutes today. How are you feeling as pre-season progresses?

Feeling good. Of course, my legs will definitely feel a bit heavy, but it's good for me to play for such a long time. We have another game very soon, so now I need to recover and then move on.

How much do you think this 7-day experience in Australia has helped you?

It was amazing. We saw a lot of support from the fans here, it was truly incredible. Of course, the long journey gave us a bit of jet lag, but that's okay. We saw a lot of supporters, signed many jerseys, and interacted with the fans. They were really great. So it was a very good experience, and it was also a surprise for me because I hadn't expected such support.

Speaking of head coach Xabi Alonso, how much are you enjoying playing under him right now?

It's great. We know his experience as a player, but he's also a very good coach now. We've learned a lot from him. We've only been working together for about three weeks, and there's still a lot to adjust and improve. But we've been training hard, especially putting a lot of effort into game focus and physical training. So I think we're moving in the right direction. We need to keep working hard.

Next up is the match against Juventus in Hong Kong. How important is it to continue to improve and push forward?

Very important. We need to keep improving and keep working hard because pre-season will end soon. We need to be ready for the new season and the first game. I think everyone is in good shape now, and everyone is working very hard. New players have also joined the team, and they are integrating. So we need to keep working and be ready for the first game of the new season.

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