https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/02/14/
hudson-odoi-on-his-link-up-with-lukaku-and-chelsea-s-crazy-succe
Hudson-Odoi on his link-up with Lukaku and Chelsea's 'crazy' success
14 Feb 2022
Callum Hudson-Odoi says there is no way to describe the feeling of lifting
the Club World Cup trophy and explains that his relationship with Romelu
Lukaku meant he knew the Belgian would open the scoring as soon as he hit
his cross.
https://i.imgur.com/l13l7WO.jpg
Hudson-Odoi was in the Chelsea starting line-up as we triumphed 2-1 in
extra-time against Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup final, lifting
that trophy for the first time in our history, a fact which makes the
winger very proud.
'It's crazy. I think I've said it from the start, it's an amazing feeling
to know you have the opportunity to play in such big competitions anyway,
but to have the opportunity to win them as well, the feeling like that, I
don't know how you can describe it.
https://i.imgur.com/SUqLMtZ.jpg
Hudson-Odoi shows his emotion after our opening goal in the Club World Cup
final
'Especially when it's something for the first time for the club. I think
every one of the players deserves a lot of credit, they did really well
and they deserve it. Hopefully we keep creating more history for the club
and win as much as possible.'
However, it was a difficult evening in Abu Dhabi when we competed in the
Club World Cup final, requiring a Kai Havertz penalty to finally settle
the game in Chelsea's favour in extra time, although Hudson-Odoi was
confident the Blues would find a way through the stubborn massed ranks of
Palmeiras' defence sooner or later.
'The way they defended was really difficult at times, they defended with
six or seven players at the back all the time,' explained Hudson-Odoi. 'So
it was so difficult to get past but I think at times, you can't defend
like that for 120 minutes of football, you're going to open up sooner or
later.
https://i.imgur.com/UluIrcQ.jpg
Lukaku heads in Hudson-Odoi's cross to put us 1-0 up against Palmeiras
'So it's definitely a big thing for us to know that the more you keep
playing the more opportunities you're going to get around the goal and
you're going to create more.
'It's just about us taking the chances and I think that we did that in the
final. It was a difficult game but we're glad that we won the match.'
Hudson-Odoi also discussed his assist for the opening goal at the Mohammed
Bin Zayed Stadium, as it was his cross that found Romelu Lukaku to send a
powerful header into the top corner, a combination that we have seen bear
fruit on several occasions this season.
'We try to link up as much as possible,' added Callum. 'I think whether
it's in training or games we try our best to see each other's strengths
and what we try to implement in our games. We know that Rom sometimes
likes it to feet, he likes it in behind, he likes it in the air.
'So at that moment when I saw him with the ball I thought: “you know
what, I know Rom, if I get this cross perfect he's going to score it”. So
as soon as I got it in there I said to myself “yeah, it's a goal”. As
soon as it went in my head was just going crazy.
https://i.imgur.com/ItiIRDD.jpg
Romelu says thanks for the assist at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium
'But we combine a lot in training and obviously in games we've been trying
to as much as possible. Sometimes it doesn't work, sometimes it does, but
at the end of the day you've just got to be positive, just keep going and
trying to push as much as possible.
'So that's what we try to do, keep trying to combine and hopefully he'll
get more chances and score more goals.'