Ryan Bertrand is determined to make the most of his latest chance to make an impact at Chelsea following the injury to Ashley Cole.
Left-back Cole is expected to be sidelined for at least a fortnight with a hamstring problem and Bertrand is standing by to replace him.
He is expected to feature in Thursday’s Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan and could play a crucial role during a hectic run of fixtures for the Blues.
Bertrand said: “It’s a chance for me to come in and play the next few games. It’s important to focus on the next game and make sure we get the right result.
“If I get enough games and hopefully perform well enough, then that should take care of itself.
“It’s down to me to keep on training well, keep my performances up to a level and keep pushing.”
Bertrand has been touted as a possible long-term replacement for Cole, who for many years has been a player the 23-year-old has looked up to.
“He’s been a focal point for my career even before he was at Chelsea,” Bertrand explained.
“He’s someone I used to look up to and watch, and him being here at Chelsea was a chance for me to see him at first hand.”
Bertrand was given a torrid time in his last European match – the 1-0 first-leg defeat against Steaua Bucharest in the previous round.
But interim manager Rafael Benitez has no qualms about including him while Cole is unavailable.
“I think he has showed he’s clever enough to understand his role,” said Benitez.
“The way forward is for him to work hard, learn from people with more experience and be ready. If he can do this he will improve for sure.”
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This post was last modified on 04/04/2013