Veigo signed from Basel this summer and replaced Levi Colwill as left-back for the last 10 minutes in Indiana yesterday.

The Blues were already 4-0 down when Christopher Nkunku came on; we would have last say when he converted a penalty earned by Raheem Sterling down our left-hand side. Veiga stressed the larger picture at this point of the summer while acknowledging the unsatisfactory result.

‘Of course you want to win every football game, especially Chelsea has to win every football game, but we’re in pre-season,’ he remarked.

“The most crucial thing is the process; the link between each other; then, when the time comes, August 18 counts and is when we have to win.’

Maresca is using the early pre-season weeks of training to convey his thoughts to the players, and Veiga thinks they are starting to adopt the new head coach’s viewpoint.

The Portuguese observed, “He’s a very direct manager in what he wants.”

“You have to appreciate and learn the maximum you can in every training session, and to offer all in every training session. For him too, that is really vital. Once you can copy it on the field.Maresca, who has chosen inverted full-backs for our two games thus far, should gain from Veiga’s versatility. Veiga is as comfortable in midfield as he is defense, therefore the real potential of going forward from left-back is one which he intends to investigate in the next months.

We have been working on that throughout training. Outside, inside, as a center-back, I am a quite flexible player and glad to be here.

“I am excited about the growing chances to play for this badge.”

The next opportunity arises when we play Club America in Atlanta; tickets for the game as well as the other two on our men’s team 2024 USA Tour are currently on sale.