Champions League

Gary Cahill: 'Chelsea can win Champions League again'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 25 July 2017

Cahill: 'Chelsea can conquer Europe again'

Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill believes that the club's spending this summer could help them win the Champions League, five years on from their only previous success.

Gary Cahill has admitted that he is "very proud" of his part in Chelsea's only previous Champions League success, but is hopeful that he can lift the famous trophy for a second time.

The England international played the full 120 minutes as the Blues memorably beat Bayern Munich on their own patch five years ago to conquer Europe.

Cahill hopes to go all the way on the continent for a second time this coming season, particularly after seeing the club spend big to bring in some added quality across the field during the summer transfer window.

"I want to experience it once more," he told the London Evening Standard. "What happened in 2012 will be with me for the rest of my life. No-one can take that away from me. I still get my medal out at home occasionally and it is something I'm very proud of. But you have to have ambitions, goals in your career, otherwise what else are you playing for?"

"The players that have left the club in recent years are huge names in the sport, huge personalities and characters. But you hope that you can fill those shoes, they are big shoes to fill. But football evolves. You saw that in the Manchester United team that won the treble in 1999.

"Obviously people get old and move on, it will happen to me at one stage. A few more years on the clock and you have to move on - that's football. We just have to try and adapt, bring big personalities and big players into the club.

"You have to compete [in the transfer market] because a lot of teams are making big signings. The Premier League is the place to be and people want to come over and play. We have to keep the squad strong, but signing big players like that gives us a boost as well. I'm sure the signings we have made are going to improve this squad. We are very excited as players to have them here."

Cahill, appointed Chelsea captain on a permanent basis this week, featured in 37 of Chelsea's 38 Premier League games last season as they finished top for a fifth time.