Just after helping Chelsea secure a victory, Garnacho confidently aims to overcome Liverpool

Alejandro Garnacho had one of the standout moments since his arrival at Chelsea, significantly contributing to the 1-0 victory over Benfica in the Champions League.

After the match, Garnacho could not hide his joy: “When we were young, we always dreamed about Champions League nights. Now that I’m here, playing in this competition and helping the team earn three points, I’m truly happy.”.

This was only Garnacho’s second start for The Blues since leaving Manchester United, but the 21-year-old quickly made an impact. In this game, he continued his familiar role on the left flank, opposite Pedro Neto on the right wing. This duo created the chance that led to the match’s only goal.

In the 18th minute, Neto delivered a pass into the box, and Garnacho arrived perfectly at the far post to keep the ball alive and send it back. In an attempt to clear, Benfica’s Richard Rios accidentally scored an own goal, securing a valuable win for Chelsea. Garnacho shared: “We always practice plays like this. This time it resulted in an own goal, but it still counts as a goal and it’s great for the team.”.

Chelsea’s full joy was slightly marred by a late red card for Joao Pedro, who was sent off for a high foot foul. This marked the third time in recent weeks that The Blues played with a man down, and Garnacho admitted the team needs to fix this weakness: “In modern football, losing even one player changes the whole dynamic a lot. We have to try to play with all 11 players on the pitch.”.

The win over Benfica gave Chelsea their first three points in this season’s Champions League, providing an important morale boost ahead of the big clash with Liverpool this weekend. Garnacho expressed strong determination: “Liverpool is a very strong team, but I will give my all, and we are capable of beating them.”.

At 21 years old, Garnacho still has a long journey ahead. However, his performance at Stamford Bridge shows he can become a key figure in Chelsea’s new era under Enzo Maresca.