Hakim Ziyech said Chelsea players ‘can’t be happy’ after their goalless draw with Sevilla but admitted it was a dream come true to make his 50th Champions League appearance in the match.
Edouard Mendy produced arguably the moment of the evening with a top save to deny Nemanja Gudelj early on as Chelsea struggled to create clear-cut chances of their own at Stamford Bridge.
Ziyech returned from a knee injury to make his Premier League debut at home to Southampton last weekend and the winger – who arrived from Ajax in the summer – came on as a second-half substitute for Mason Mount last night.
The Moroccan showed glimpses of his undoubted quality in his half-hour display but was unable to make a significant impact and force a winner as he and Frank Lampard would have hoped.
‘It was a difficult game and we knew before the game that Sevilla is just a really good team,’ Ziyech told beIN SPORTS shortly after the final whistle.
‘They have quality on the ball and they won the Europa League last year and they were in the Super Cup final so we knew they had a lot of quality.
‘You can see on the ball, they do really well. It was really difficult to find spaces.
‘At the end of the day, it’s a draw and a point and of course we can’t be happy about it but it’s still a point.’
While Ziyech is still settling into life at Chelsea, he’s satisfied with the progress he’s made so far since his £33million summer move.
‘So far it’s been good for me, obviously, everything around football,’ the ex-Ajax star said.
‘I’ve been out for a couple of weeks so everything for me is new and I have to get used to it.
‘But I don’t put pressure on myself and I know what I have to do.’
Asked for an update on his fitness, Ziyech responded: ‘I still have a way to go.
Obviously I didn’t play for a long time, even because of the virus of course.
And then it’s just a bit unlucky that the injury came.
I just try to stay calm and everything will come by itself.
‘I’m happy that it’s already the 50.’
