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It's not like one player's snub is the reason Chelsea hasn't been performing well lately, Branislav Ivanovic had a hideous performance against Arsenal when the Blues lost 3-0. Since then, the player hasn't been in Antonio Conte's mind but the club has still been delivering poor performances. Now that Serbia has called him to represent the country in the next couple of matches, he didn't make a scene and didn't complain about Conte's decision to not use him.
The Serbia skipper, who joined Chelsea in 2008, said: “I was maximum ready and healthy for the match with Hull, but I never got the chance. I’ll always put myself below the interests of the team, be that national side or club. When the team is successful and when they win, it’s quickly forgotten when you make mistakes. It’s been a while since I was a back-up, but I do not mind. I’ll sit on the bench whenever the coach decides, and not for the first time in these eight years at Chelsea.
“I think that the status of players cannot be concluded on the basis of an unplayed 90 minutes. Today’s football means that every day you have to fight and prove yourself. There is no past, no future, only the present. It is normal to be on the bench, especially in clubs that over and over again are going step further.”
Teammate and compatriot Nemanja Matic also said: “Ivanovic is a top player who for eight years has given a lot at the highest level. On the other hand, the Premier League is very demanding and it is hard to physically endure one season, let alone as many years as Ivanovic. Branislav plays over 50 matches a year, and credit to him for that. You know that in England there are no easy matches and players there must be excellent, as Bane is.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
