Petr returns to the goal and Chelsea is one win away from title

Petr, how happy were you to be sent back on?
Thibaut had contused his hip in the last game and so I knew there was a chance. I only found out I would be playing around noon on game day, though. The coaches didn’t want to risk Thibaut deteriorating his injury further, and so they picked me to replace him. I was thrilled to be back at it and more than anything I’m happy we won.
One of your biggest contributions to that win was when you saved Konchesky’s strike at 0-0.
He was hidden behind one of our players and it was looking like he wasn’t going to shoot. In the end he did end up squeezing the ball all the way through to the goal post. Luckily I was quick on my feet and managed to nudge the ball out. Chaos ensued in the box afterwards, but we managed to ward it off.
You did concede at the end of the first half, though.
Unfortunately Azpilicueta slipped on the wet surface and their player was left by himself. It was a silly goal to take back to the changing rooms but I’m convinced it actually kick-started our game. We knew we had adjust our approach after that.
Manager Mourinho mentioned in a post-match interview that if he were to recount whatever had gone on inside the changing rooms at half-time, most of it would have to be beeped out anyway… Was it really that bad?
We all knew we hadn’t been doing well, so we made sure we discussed it. It was definitely fruitful, though; the second half Chelsea was a completely new team. We managed to equalise right at the start and went on to add two more. Our team play was immaculate after the interval and we got a well-deserved victory out of it all.
Has it occurred to you that it was the most experienced players who ended up taking charge of the game? You defended the goal while Drogba and Terry both scored on the opposite side.
It’s reassuring to see that our presence in the team is still beneficial after ten years. That’s almost unprecedented and it’s fantastic to see both Didier and John continue to excel in the offence.
You’re three points away from the title. Are you ready to seize them in Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace?
It’ll be a London derby against a team which has nothing to lose and plays very well. They’ve come a long way since they got a new manager and they’ve been on a streak of good results. While it’s not going to be easy I’m sure we’ll be fine. We all very much intend to grab the very first opportunity to secure the title at home. Celebrating at home is always a spectacular experience - so much better than doing it away.