Indestructible. Hardwearing. Immortal. The seasons and the superlatives - follow and resemble each other when it comes to evoking Olivier Giroud. Often condemned at the start of the season and doomed to the substitutes' bench in recent years, the world champion, example of courage, work and self-sacrifice, thwarts the forecasts throughout the exercises. From the top of his 33 springs, the third top scorer in the history of the Blues (97 caps, 39 goals), perked up and ambitious, continues to make talk about him under the colors of Chelsea, to the point of advancing like the The Blues' number one offensive weapon on Saturday against Arsenal in the FA Cup final (6.30 p.m., beIN Sports) in the temple of Wembley.
“I don't set any limits for myself. Doing figuration is not my style. I can tell you, I feel fresh and fit and I still have a few great years ahead of me. "
Unthinkable situation a few months ago, when the former Tourangeau was chomping at the bit on the sidelines and asked to leave the club during the winter transfer window. Since then, the situation has changed. In large widths. Placardized by Frank Lampard, the world champion reversed the roles by moving from the status of a substitute in the hierarchy of Chelsea scorers to that of indisputable holder. On the nose and beard of the young local nugget, Tammy Abraham (22) or the talented Michy Batshuayi (26, ex-OM). Even the long break will not have altered his sparkling form (6 goals in the Premier League), he who has never stopped preparing individually, including long bike rides near London.
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To the delight of his trainer, over the moon. “Olivier must receive the honors he deserves for his performance since January, blows the former midfielder of the Blues, qualified again for the Champions League next season after the fourth place won in the standings. He had personality, the talent to step in and influence things like he did before confinement. The players love to play with him, he is a point of reference for the team. A beautiful tribute that says a lot about the boy's strength of character. Rarely placed, often winning. The story of his career summarized in four words.
Saturday, against his former club, and in a legendary competition in England, the slender striker will fight to pocket a fifth Cup, after those gleaned in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. To consider the rest with more serenity? Not necessarily. Under contract with Chelsea until June 2021, the future centenary in Blue (97 caps) already knows he is subject to fierce competition with the recruitment of the German Timo Werner (bought between 50 and 60 million euros in Leipzig) and the expected return of Tammy Abraham, relegated to the bench in recent weeks. "I will do everything so that Lampard is in a complex situation," he planted, ambitious, Tuesday in The Team . With the Premier League, the Champions League on the program and especially the Euro (June 11-July 11, 2021) in the sights. For his ultimate international challenge? "I don't set myself any limit," he whispered to us last September. Doing figuration is not my style. I can tell you, I feel fresh and fit and I still have a few great years ahead of me. "Hardwearing, you say?
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