EXCLUSIVE Badiashile: We are Chelsea and must believe we can qualify for the Champions League

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone

Benoît Badiashile is confident that Chelsea are in with a shout of qualifying for the Champions League via a top-four finish in the league.

The Frenchman, 21, has hit the ground running since joining Chelsea in a £35m deal from AS Monaco earlier this month.

In only two starts, against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, the French international played a big part in shutting up shop as the Blues registered back-to-back clean sheets with him and Thiago Silva, 17 years his senior, at the back.

And he is raving about the chance of playing in the Premier League after leaving Ligue 1.

He told Capital Football: "I am a new signing and still discovering but you have to give all your have to be a success here.

"I am very happy to be here, the level is elevated. The Premier League is the best league in the world.

"Now we have to at least believe we can (qualify for the Champions League through the league). If we pull it off? I don't know.

"But Chelsea are a big club and the targets have to be lofty. At every big club there are moments when the going gets tough...but I am persuaded that with the big project the club has in place, we can do huge things."

The ex-Monaco star reflected on the 0-0 draw at Liverpool on Sunday and admitted that the clean sheet is of little consolation as the Blues had hoped to seal a win.

Two points were inevitably dropped in their quest for a spot in next season's premier competition.

He said: "I was very happy as globally it was a good performance. Despite having spells when we suffered, we remained tight knit which allowed us to come away with a point. But the whole team had hoped to win."

Their hopes of winning more games in future can become a reality thanks to Mikhailo Mudryk who has all it takes to turn into a global superstar after showing glimpses of his talent at Anfield.

Badiashile said: "He’s a terrific player but only the future will tell us if he can turn into a big star. But for sure he has the talent to become just that.”

Graham Potter's Chelsea host Fulham on Friday evening.