Matic: Conte should consider me a Chelsea striker!

With just five goals in a Chelsea career spanning well over 100 games, Nemanja Matic is far from the man you could describe as a goal-machine.

But with an impressive performance in a recent Blues’ five-a-side tournament, the Serbian is perhaps building a case to hound Diego Costa for a place in the front-line.

While that may not be a completely realistic aim for Matic, the defensive midfielder is certain it’s that fun in the team that he can help his side to the Premier League title.

Antonio Conte’s charges have already long eclipsed the disappointing 50-point haul from last season, with many already calling them champions elect, despite the majority of teams having at least 11 games left to play.

Yet despite their healthy advantage, Matic is adamant that nothing can be left to chance, having been part of theBenfica side that surrendered their Portuguese title from an even stronger position in 2014.

“It was 1-1 and then Porto scored in the 93rd minute. It was the moment we lost the title. And it was the moment I learned anything is possible,” he said.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“You have to be concentrated until the end, because sometimes one point can decide it. The target for all of us right now is the same – to be champions.

“Some people are saying it’s finished because they want us to slip up, and this is normal. It’s football.

“But it’s better to be first, eight or 10 points clear, than be second with 10 points less. We can decide our future. If we continue to win games we will be champions, it’s as simple as that.

“They gave me a Spanish passport for the [five-a-side] tournament, which we won! We beat France in the semi-final and then Brazil in the final.

“Brazil complained because they said I was more Brazilian because I speak Portuguese, but I saw the Spanish were on fire that day so I chose them!

“I told them I was going to run for them, but by the end of the tournament I was second top scorer! Pedro was first, me second. It was good, and maybe Conte can think about me as a striker now!”