"I hope I can do the same thing that Maldini did at Milan" - Chelsea's Thiago Silva opens up on his longevity in the game

Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva believes he is perfectly fit to perform at the highest level for a few more years ahead of his 39th birthday. The Brazilian international has said that he remains committed to the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Silva believes he will not be slowing down anytime soon as his contract with the Premier League club expires in 2023.

The 38-year-old defender has been a consistent member of the defensive setup of the starting XI for the Blues. The FA Cup quarter-final win over Middlesbrough on 19 March was his 35th appearance for the Blues this season. The longevity of the Brazilian defender can be gaged by the fact that only Jorginho and Antonio Rudiger have more game time than him in the squad.

In an official interview with Chelseafc.com, Silva opened up on his future plans. Speaking about his longevity, Silva expressed to 'do the same thing that (Paolo) Maldini did at Milan'. The Italian great played 25 seasons with AC Milan before retiring in 2009 at the age of 41.

Silva said:

"I hope I can do the same thing that Maldini did at Milan, playing until he was 40 or 41 years old. That’s my plan for the immediate future and I have prepared myself for that."

Silva opened up on how his age is catching up, saying that unlike his youth days, it takes him 24 hours to recover after a professional match. He added:

"When you’re young, you think you’re a superhero. I’d play one game a day so in terms of recovery it was a lot quicker, whereas now 24 hours seems like no time at all in which to recover. You’ve always got to be active and up to speed with the new recovery methods out there."

Speaking about his time at Stamford Bridge, Silva believes he has performed to the best of his capacity. He has proved his critics, who questioned his capabilities after his move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, wrong. He added:

"So many people had their doubts whether I’d be able to play to the same standard here as I did at PSG but I never had any doubts of how I’d perform for the club. I feel like I’ve kept up my standard here at Chelsea bearing in mind it’s the best league in the world."

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Real Madrid's Karim Benzema confirms his availability for Champions League clash against Chelsea

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has confirmed his availability for the Champions League quarter-final clash against Chelsea. The Frenchman also confirmed his presence in the La Liga clash against Celta Vigo.

The leading Madrid goal-scorer was absent for the El Clasico against Barcelona on 20 March, which Real Madrid lost 4-0. Benzema's presence in the squad against Chelsea will bolster the team's confidence.

The first leg of the tie is set to take place at Stamford Bridge on 6 April.