Jorginho reveals promise he made when Maurizio Sarri left Chelsea, explains how he survived early struggle at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea vice captain Jorginho has revealed his determination to prove himself at Stamford Bridge, especially without Maurizio Sarri, as chief motivating factor for his spectacular form, saying “I promised myself I wouldn’t lose this challenge.”

The midfielder was brought to Stamford Bridge from Napoli by Maurizio Sarri, but has seemingly found a whole new lease of life under Frank Lampard.

“It’s all going very well, but there’s no fluke about it, as I wanted to make my mark in the most competitive league in the world,” Jorginho told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper as cited by Football Italia.

“Coming to a club like Chelsea and playing in the Champions League represents a lot and I had promised myself I wouldn’t lose this challenge. It wasn’t easy, but I can see the light now.

“I wasn’t given the warmest of welcomes and it was a struggle at the start, because you need time to adapt when moving from one league to another. Unfortunately, there is very little patience in football.

“I give myself credit for not giving up, not letting myself get swept up in disappointment. This is why I can enjoy this experience even more now. I wanted to prove that I deserved to play in the Premier League with the Chelsea shirt.

“I also wanted to prove I could walk on my own two feet without support from Sarri. I can only think him for all he taught me and I owe Sarri a great deal. We had wonderful experiences together at Napoli and Chelsea, so I grew, matured and improved under his guidance.”

It was feared Jorginho would have no place in Lampard’s side, but has instead become even more integral.

“We got along straight away, from the pre-season training camp. There was the risk I could be considered a symbol of the previous coach, but Lampard wanted to judge me with fresh eyes.

“We now play more aggressive football and making vertical passes has never been a problem for me. I also dedicate a portion of my training to penalties. I repeat them over and over again.”

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