Emi Martinez has set his sights on winning the Premier League after making his Chelsea debut in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge.
The World Cup-winning goalkeeper completed his move from Aston Villa just hours before kick-off and was immediately handed his debut by new Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso.
Despite conceding three goals, Martinez helped the Blues secure a winning start under Alonso and believes Chelsea have the quality to challenge for the Premier League title.
“I came here to help. I had an amazing seven years at Aston Villa and I’ve come here to challenge myself and try and win the Premier League,” Martinez told Sky Sports.
The 33-year-old revealed he had spoken to Chelsea legends John Terry and Petr Cech about the club’s ambitions before making the move.
“I knew how big this club is and what we want to achieve this season,” he said.
Martinez also praised Chelsea’s attacking quality, particularly their front three, after watching the Blues score four times against Brighton.
“I knew the front three was amazing. They’re different and you can see it today, when we go forward, we hurt teams,” he added.
However, the Argentine acknowledged Chelsea still have work to do defensively after surrendering a three-goal advantage before eventually holding on for victory.
“We had a lot of chances… that’s what we need, to keep improving and scoring goals. At the back, it’s about bringing goals [conceded] down,” Martinez said.
“But a win is a win. I know it wasn’t a perfect game, we were 3-0 up and could have put the game to bed but winning and moving on is what we need.”
Alonso explained his decision to start Martinez just 48 hours after his arrival, pointing to the goalkeeper’s experience at the highest level.
“He’s a World Cup winner with experience all around. I spoke with him yesterday, we talked about the game, about our team and he felt ready,” Alonso said.
The Chelsea boss also praised Martinez’s personality and leadership qualities, saying: “He has charisma and aura to have a very positive influence on the rest of them.”
