N’Golo Kante ‘looks five years younger’, claims Joe Cole after his fine display against Atletico Madrid… as Rio Ferdinand says the Chelsea midfielder is ‘like a magnet to the ball’ who looks like the player that won the Premier League with Leicester
- N’Golo Kante won the Man of the Match award as Chelsea beat Atletico Madrid
- The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries over the last 18 months for his club
- But he delivered a brilliant performance as his side qualified for the last eight
- Joe Cole said he looks five years younger and is comfortable with Mateo Kovacic
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole believes N’Golo Kante looks five years younger after his dominant performance against Atletico Madrid.
The France midfielder received the Man of the Match award, making a total of 13 ball recoveries in the match and keeping the Blues ticking over in both defence and attack against Diego Simeone’s men.
The 29-year-old endured a frustrating 2019-20 campaign after suffering numerous injuries, and was most recently out of action for three weeks with a hamstring injury in January.
Joe Cole claims N’Golo Kante looks five years younger after his display against Atletico Madrid
Kante has struggled with injuries over the last 18 months but put in a sharp display
But Kante looked back to his best as Chelsea sealed qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 3-0 aggregate win against Atletico.
And speaking to BT Sport after Chelsea’s 2-0 win on the night at Stamford Bridge, Cole believes he is benefiting from having Mateo Kovacic next to him, but still plays like two players in one.
‘You have got the legs in midfield now,’ Cole said. ‘You have got Kovacic and Kante back, and Kante looks about five years younger again.
‘He has missed a lot of football, but he has had a good run at it now and he has built his fitness and match stamina up that you need.
And former Chelsea star Cole believes Kante still performs like two players moulded into one
‘He just looks so comfortable. I think he likes having Kovacic in there as well, because I think it takes the burden off him, and they both get about the pitch.
‘He was sensational. Not only does he have the physical capabilities, but he has got that canny ability to be in right place at right time and players don’t get round him.
‘He’s like having two men in there in one. He decides when he takes it, he blocks lines and then still has the energy to keep starting attacks and break forward in the 90th minute as well, he was fantastic and he’s back to his best.
‘He is underestimated for his technical ability, he dribbles and he can pass, he is fantastic.’
Cole also believes the World Cup winner is more comfortable alongside Mateo Kovacic (back)
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also lauded the World Cup winner as ‘a magnet to the ball’, and believes he is now playing like the midfielder who helped Leicester win their historic Premier League title in 2016.
Ferdinand also praised Kante’s desire to get forward too – as shown by Emerson’s goal in added time – when the Frenchman managed to run beyond Christian Pulisic and give him an option to his right before the American chose to pass the ball to the left-back.
‘He is like a magnet to the ball,’ Ferdinand added.
‘He looks like the Kante who played for Leicester in the year they won the league again in the last few weeks.
Rio Ferdinand meanwhile claimed Kante looks like the player who won the title with Leicester
‘What I like about him is that he is doing both sides of the game now, he is winning the ball. Like I said he is a magnet to the ball in defensive situations.
‘But when there’s a turnover and a transition, and that last goal sums it up perfectly, he can get up and beyond things.
‘He has got the capabilities to turn defence into attack. He was a joy to watch today on both sides of the game.’
Ferdinand also said the 29-year-old is like ‘a magnet to the ball’ and praised his overall game