"He's very hungry — Joao is really, really determined to have a great season," Xabi Alonso praised Joao Pedro after the Brazilian forward came off the bench to score a rapid nine-minute hat-trick in Chelsea’s 6-4 pre-season victory over Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: AFP
Chelsea's Brazilian striker Joao Pedro is "very hungry" after his Fifa World Cup snub, with a quick-fire hat-trick in the team's opening pre-season game impressing new manager Xabi Alonso.
The 24-year-old was snapped up from Brighton a year ago and scored 20 goals across all competitions in his first season at Stamford Bridge to be named player of the season by club supporters. But his penalty-box prowess was not enough to book a spot in Brazil's World Cup squad.
Alonso said that Pedro, who bagged a nine-minute hat-trick as a second-half substitute in Chelsea's 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday, had been fired up in training.
"He's very hungry – Joao is really, really determined to have a great season," said Alonso.
