https://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2016/08/
ola_s-opportunity-with-childhood-dream-team.html
Ola's opportunity with childhood dream team
Wed 24 Aug 2016
Having accumulated the sixth highest number of minutes by any player in
pre-season, Ola Aina made his Chelsea debut last night in Antonio Conte's
third competitive game in charge.
In doing so, the 19-year-old joined his fellow Academy graduates Tammy
Abraham , Fikayo Tomori and Jake Clarke-Salter who were given their senior
bows in the closing weeks of the last campaign.
It looked set to be a 90-minute opening for Aina, until injury cut his
involvement in the 3-2 win over Bristol Rovers short by
quarter-of-an-hour.
Another of Aina's team-mates from his Academy days, Ruben Loftus-Cheek,
was handed his first start of the season too last night, and afterwards
Conte had words about both.
Selected at left-back, Aina did not look out of place performing in front
of a near-40,000 crowd at Stamford Bridge. Our Twitter coverage of the
match noted one exemplary moment.
The debutant spoke to Chelsea TV after the game and told the channel:
'It is the best feeling to be there in front of the fans, it is a team I
have supported from three years old so it is a dream come true. I wasn't
nervous, I was just excited.'
Aina said that having the experienced Branislav Ivanovic alongside him and
talking to him regularly helped him, and he was keen to credit the Academy
for the part they have played in taking him this far. His first coach
here, Joe Edwards, had reminded him earlier in the day of his first game
at the Bridge eight years earlier.
'I hope Aina's injury is not serious,' commented Conte as he looked ahead
to Burnley this coming weekend. The young player's debut had clearly kept
him in the head coach's plans.