‘Benzema is on another level’: Pedro responds to Alonso comparison after Hull draw

London, Sep 13 (IANS) Chelsea forward Joao Pedro played down comparisons with Real Madrid great Karim Benzema after manager Xabi Alonso likened the Brazilian’s style to that of his former teammate, saying the Frenchman remains ‘on another level’ while explaining the similarities in their games.

Alonso had praised Joao Pedro’s all-round qualities ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Hull City, saying the 24-year-old reminded him of Benzema because of his ability to contribute both inside and outside the penalty area.

Pedro acknowledged the similarities but was quick to distance himself from comparisons with the former Real Madrid striker.

“I think maybe the style, the way I play – I like to come deep, and I like to link up with my teammates, but, of course, Benzema is on another level,” Pedro said after Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Hull City.

The Brazilian has made an impressive start to the season and again proved decisive against Hull, scoring the equaliser after Morgan Rogers had given Chelsea an early lead.

Pedro had earlier set up Rogers for the opener in the seventh minute before Hull turned the game around through a quick double from Mohamed Belloumi. The visitors went into half-time with a 2-1 lead, but Joao Pedro restored parity in the 66th minute by converting Cole Palmer’s delivery.

Chelsea pushed for a winner but could not find a way through Hull’s defence and had to settle for a point at Stamford Bridge. Hull, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign.

For Pedro, however, his individual contribution continued a strong run of form. He now has three goals and three assists in four Premier League appearances this season.

The forward said Chelsea must learn quickly from games such as the Hull draw, particularly with the Premier League offering little room for dropped points.

“I think we started really well. We put pressure on them, and we controlled the game, but we need to improve on the details because I think in the end, this point is very important for us. So we need to analyse and improve,” he said.

“We have to adapt quickly, as soon as possible, because we know how the Premier League is. If you drop points, in the end it will be difficult to recover. We need to adapt quickly because if you want to compete, you have to improve on that,” he added.

Pedro also highlighted his growing understanding with Palmer and Rogers, with the trio once again combining effectively against Hull.

“I enjoy playing with Palmer and Rogers a lot because they are very good players and I know when we play close, we can be very dangerous. We showed that again. So I enjoy it a lot, and hopefully we can continue to improve even more,” he said.

Despite Chelsea’s failure to take all three points, Joao Pedro remained positive about his own form.

“I just try to enjoy every game and try to help my team with goals or assists. I’m in a very good moment and I’m very happy,” he added.

–IANS

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