Cesc Fabregas sings praise of one Chelsea star he has played with in the past

Cesc Fabregas is full of praise for Chelsea star Benoit Badiashile

The recent FA Cup victory against Aston Villa might have provided a temporary reprieve for Chelsea and their supporters, but underlying issues continue to linger at Stamford Bridge with a lot of issues. Despite significant investment in the squad, the team finds itself in 11th place in the Premier League, a position that does not align with the club’s lofty ambitions.

Former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas recently shared his insights on the current situation at the club during an episode of the Planet Premier League Podcast. Fabregas highlighted the abundance of talent within Chelsea’s ranks, singling out several players for praise. Among them was Benoit Badiashile, whom Fabregas lauded as one of the premier young ball-playing centre-backs in Europe. Both of them have played together during their time at Monaco from 2019-2022. Here is what Cesc had to say via BBC:

“They have a lot of quality, Caicedo was a top player for Brighton, Fernandez was one of the best players at the World Cup, Sterling, nothing to be said, Palmer is a top talent. I played with Disasi and Badiashile, Badiashile is one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in all the young players in Europe, there is a lot of quality and a lot of talent,”

However, despite Fabregas’s admiration for Badiashile, the French defender has struggled to meet expectations this season. While Fabregas sees him as a top talent, Badiashile’s performances on the pitch have not consistently reflected this assessment. At just 22 years old, Badiashile certainly has time on his side to fulfil his potential, but his current form suggests that he has yet to reach the level of excellence expected of him.

Still evolving…

A number of injuries in the early part of the season kept him out of action for quite a while. He only started getting a proper run of games towards the end of November. Badiashile has not been very impressive in the games he has featured in and that’s probably due to the lack of ambition within the current team. There is not enough hunger but we hope for things to change sooner than later.

Indeed, Chelsea’s overall team performance has been underwhelming in recent times, with no player immune to criticism. Badiashile’s struggles mirror those of his teammates, as the club grapples with a lack of cohesion and consistency on the field. Despite the talent at their disposal, Chelsea has failed to translate this into tangible success, leaving fans and pundits alike questioning the effectiveness of the squad.

In evaluating Fabregas’s comments, it’s essential to recognize his perspective as a former player who has shared the pitch with Badiashile during their time together at Monaco. Fabregas’s praise for Badiashile is undoubtedly rooted in his firsthand experience of the defender’s abilities. However, times have evolved and even though he might have been top for Monaco, that has little to do with his current form for Chelsea and he surely needs to up his game at Stamford Bridge.

While Fabregas’s endorsement of Badiashile may carry weight, it’s essential to temper expectations and acknowledge the reality of the defender’s current form. Chelsea needs its players to step up and deliver results on the pitch, and Badiashile is no exception.

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With time and continued development, he may yet fulfil the promise that Fabregas sees in him. Until then, Chelsea must address their issues collectively and work towards scoring and achieving their goals.