Chelsea manager Frank Lampard admits he didn't age as gracefully as Thiago Silva: 'I was in the MLS at that point'
- Thiago Silva a regular starter for Chelsea
- Defender still fit at 38
- Lampard amazed by his physical condition
WHAT HAPPENED? The veteran centre-back remains a first-team regular for the Blues, featuring 32 times in all competitions this season. He has regained his place in the starting XI after recovering from a ligament injury and Lampard has been impressed by his physical state, admitting that his own decline was already well underway when he was the Brazilian's age.
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WHAT THEY SAID: "Thiago is a credit in all aspects. He's a classy, brilliant player. His career says it," Lampard said in a press conference after his side's 3-1 win against Bournemouth. "He's brilliant at looking after himself. At 38 or so, I was in the MLS at that point. I understand it. Especially as a centre-back to be playing in the Premier League. What he must be doing to his body!
"He's also got a real great mind and he has a winning mentality so he would have been suffering a bit recently because he feels it, he wears it. He's a great reference point for the young centre-backs we have in the team around him. Again, nothing but praise for Thiago in all aspects."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The ex-AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain defender could still be a key player for the London side next season as his contract at Stamford Bridge runs until the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
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WHAT NEXT? The defender will likely be in the starting XI again when Chelsea meet Nottingham Forest on May 13.