Chelsea defender reveals one of his biggest influences

Chelsea full back Paulo Ferreira has credited Benfica manager Jorge Jesus for playing a significant role in his development as a player.

The Portugual international worked with the boss at Vitoria de Setubal and recounts the tale about how he became a right back.

“He was an important person at the beginning of my professional career,” the defender told reporters.

“He was the one that taught me all the tactical things as a right-back because it was when he went to Setubal that I returned from the national team having played right-back for the first time.

“I played a game away in Holland as a right-back because the usual right-back for the national team had got a second yellow card in the game before, and he had to miss the game. The national manager talked to me and asked me if I could help by playing in that position.

“I was happy to help, to play for the national team was something really important for me. We ended up getting a good result - we drew 1-1 - and when I got back from the national team was when we changed manager at Setubal.

“So in my first session with Jorge Jesus, he just started me as a right-back. He had watched that game and he liked me there, so I was a right-back.

“He was the one who taught me a lot about how to defend well and how to position yourself defensively,” Ferreira continued.

“Because of this, he was one of the most important managers in my professional career.”

Ferreira has only featured for the west Londoners six times this season, though played in the 1-0 first leg win in Lisbon.