‘I’m taking a step forward’: Malo Gusto on his first months at Chelsea

Malo Gusto (20) has been a standout performer for Mauricio Pochettino’s underwhelming Chelsea side this season, going from understudy to having a claim to be first-choice right-back regardless of Reece James’s fitness. 27 starts and seven assists have seen the Frenchman excel in the Premier League in spite of the team’s overall struggles. 

The former Olympique Lyonnais man spoke to Le Parisien to reflect on his time at Stamford Bridge so far: 

“It’s true that it hasn’t been a great season for Chelsea, not the season we would have wanted in any case, but it’s not over yet! We are still in contention for the FA Cup and we know the league isn’t over! We are in the process of building something, even if we’re not where we should be yet. From a personal point of view, I am aware that I am taking a step forward and that I need to keep this form going. I needed time at the start to adapt to the physical and technical demands of the league, but also to the mental side because I play for a big club that has big expectations. Let’s say I have found myself and am steadily growing. 

Compared to my time at Lyon, I would say I pay a lot more attention to details. When I was in France, I was just discovering professional football and how it works, and now I’m getting into the hard stuff. My daily life now is Chelsea, the Premier League, the FA Cup, I can’t be a youngster anymore, I’m just a pro now. 

I’ve learnt alot from the likes of Thiago Silva. He really made an impression on me when I arrived, the focus he has on everything he does, he is extremely professional. He arrives at training early, leaves late and pays alot of attention to his body. He is very inspiring to me, we’ve spoken about many things: his career, his time in Paris…