Thiago Silva admits he was surprised by Petr Cech’s inclusion in Chelsea’s Premier League squad list but has been impressed by the 38-year-old in training.
Chelsea delivered a surprise earlier this week as they named Cech as part of their 25-man squad as emergency cover.
Cech, who made 494 appearances during his first stint at Chelsea, retired as a player last year having spent four seasons at Arsenal.
But Thiago Silva is confident that Cech would be ready to play if Frank Lampard needed him.
‘He’s a guy that we don’t have to discard. His story is very beautiful in football,’ Silva told Esporte Interativo.
‘We talk a little, he speaks a little French, so we have a little more dialogue than usual.
‘And the other day I saw him training and asked him why he was training, if it was because he liked it or if he had the chance to be with us.
‘He said he was really training so if he was needed, any opportunity, he could play.
‘I thought he was done with his career, I was even surprised at that moment he told me.
‘But he’s a guy who has a brilliant career at Chelsea, he’s an idol.
‘His story speaks for itself, we just have him as a reference and do our job.
‘I think he’s ready. From the training I saw, he’s well prepared. If he has an opportunity, an incident with the goalkeepers, he’s prepared and I’m sure Frank also trusts him.’
