Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante reveals the secret behind his fitness

Chelsea fans must be pleased to see N’Golo Kante returning to training just in time for the crucial Champions League final against Manchester City. The Frenchman was forced off with a hamstring problem in the first half of the Premier League win over Leicester recently. It created a state of fear among fans about his availability for Saturday’s big final. But he put an end to the speculations by returning to training and travelling to Portugal with the rest of the squad. At Porto’s Estadio do Dragao, Kante will be eager to play an important part in helping Chelsea to win the trophy for a second time.

The midfielder revealed his approach of giving-it-all on the pitch has a lot to do with the head as it does with the legs. “Of course I get tired,” he was quoted by the club’s website. “During a match, there are periods of time when you’re strong and periods of time when you’re weaker. During the weaker moments, you have to try and recover. Sometimes, you don’t recover, but it’s about game management.”

“Even if you’re tired, sometimes, you just have to go for it and make a difference going forward. In particular, sometimes, to keep the score as it is. So, sometimes you’re tired, but it’s all about mentality. Over the course of the season, along with the club and the staff, you try to manage match schedules. That is, thinking about how best to train to ensure we’re ready for matches. Sometimes you have to extend recovery times to avoid injuries and be able to give your all in every match.”

Kante also opened up about the comparisons made between him and other players during his early days. He also revealed how he looked up to two former Chelsea midfielders as a youngster.

“Growing up, coaches or team-mates might tell me that I resemble such-and-such a player. I was just someone who watched football. I would watch the games which interested me, without necessarily focusing on players in a similar position to me,” he elaborated.

“Whenever the international break came around, I would obviously watch France play, and getting to watch the likes of Claude Makelele or Lassana Diarra, I obviously drew inspiration from them.”