Joao Pedro and Reece James were definitely two of Chelsea’s better players in what was a very disappointing season for the Blues.
Pedro finished the campaign as Chelsea’s top scorer, bagging 20 goals in all competitions.
James managed to stay fit for the majority of the season and helped the team both in defence and midfield.
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In an interview on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Pedro discussed his captain, sharing that he always motivates him behind the scenes to score in the next game whenever he fails to convert in a match.
When asked about James’ leadership qualities, Pedro told Ferdinand: “His mentality. He never gives up. Never. And also, he gives the confidence to everyone.
“Like with me, if I don’t score one game, he comes to me and says, ‘Joao, bro, you need to score. Hey, next game, make sure you score.’ I say, ‘Okay, okay.'”
Joao Pedro and Reece James of Chelsea
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
James will now be hoping that Pedro remains at Chelsea amid strong interest from Barcelona. It has been claimed that Barcelona’s sporting director Deco was recently in England to discuss Pedro in a development that will worry Blues fans.
They will not want to see the forward leave Stamford Bridge either after the season that he has had. Without the goals that Pedro scored, Chelsea would have finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
A breakdown of Joao Pedro’s goals this season
In the 35 Premier League games Pedro played for Chelsea, the 24-year-old scored 15 goals. He also provided five assists.
In the Champions League, Pedro scored three goals, including a brace away at Napoli. And in the FA Cup, he managed to find the back of the net twice.
The occasion did not matter. Pedro delivered when called upon this season, whereas so many of his teammates did not. It was not enough for the Brazilian to earn a call-up for the World Cup, but he can still be proud of what he was able to achieve in a blue shirt.
If Pedro is still at Chelsea next season, hopefully he can reach the 20-goal mark in the Premier League this time and prove Carlo Ancelotti wrong.
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