‘I am here to win it’ – Raheem Sterling targets Champions League glory with Chelsea

Raheem Sterling is targeting Champions League glory with Chelsea and says it was a ‘massive surprise’ to lose his starting spot at Manchester City last term.

Chelsea became champions of Europe for the second time in the club’s history in 2020-21 under current boss Thomas Tuchel, a trophy Sterling has never won, with Pep Guardiola unable to guide his team to glory in the competition thus far.

Chelsea beat City in that final – nine years on after they won it the first time in 2011-12 – with Sterling on the losing side, a feeling he has not been used to since he moved to the Etihad Stadium in 2015 from Liverpool.

The 27-year-old was a key player at City as they dominated English football, helping them win four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup.

However, the England international was reduced to the bench for large parts of last season, and decided to join Chelsea this summer in a £47.5m deal.

‘It was a big surprise [losing his starting role],’ Sterling said. ‘A massive surprise. A change of events all of a sudden.

‘It’s something I had to handle, and that’s why I’m here. The manager, myself, and the people at the club know exactly what the reasons were.

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‘I tried to play my football and overcome the situation, but it couldn’t be done. So I had to move on.

‘I haven’t played Champions League football with Chelsea yet. They have obviously won it. I haven’t. They have got bragging rights.

‘But again, I am here to try to win it. I don’t know if I am better off here or there [at Man City] – it is not really my forte.

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