Joao Felix reacts to ‘kind of weird’ question

Chelsea attacker Joao Felix may only be 24 but he is a veteran of press conferences, yet ahead of the Blues’ clash against Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday, he still managed to be taken aback by a question that he described as “kind of weird”.

Felix is one of a host of fringe Chelsea stars seeking to take advantage of the club’s European games to try to win a more regular spot in the thinking of manager Enzo Maresca, who has used him as a bit-part player since he completed a €52 million move from Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Having started only two games for the Blues this season, scoring one goal and creating one more, the Conference League is a serious competition for the likes of the former Benfica star, so when he was thrown a curveball in the pre-match press conference, he was left a little lost for words.

Joao Felix was asked what it means for him to be a Scorpio.

Clearly, the attacker has given little thought to his star sign as he responded: “I think it’s the first time in a press conference I’ve been asked about my star sign… so that’s kind of weird. I don’t understand a lot about that.”

Regular football ‘a matter of time’

Felix, meanwhile, is calm over his current status on the periphery of Maresca’s thinking and has promised to work his way into playing a bigger part in the team.

“I knew the competition would be hard,” he said. “But I’m here to work. I know what I can do, what I’m able to do. It’s just a matter of time.

“You’ll never see me stop working to follow my dreams and I’m here to play, of course. And I think it’s just a matter of time.

“I spoke with Enzo before I signed with Chelsea. I liked what he said to me. I like the way he thinks of football, the way he plays.”

After Panathinaikos, Chelsea face a double header against Newcastle in the Premier League and EFL Cup, with Joao Felix hoping for an increased role in all these three games.