Back after three weeks off post-World Cup, Salomon Kalou is looking ahead to the new season and is already enjoying being back in training.

The Ivorian joins his team-mates as they fly to Germany this afternoon (Saturday), and is eagerly anticipating being back in the thick of things.

'We haven't been with the team for two-and-a-half months so you long to come back and catch up with the other players,' said the 24-year-old. 'After we won the Double we never really got the time to be together so we didn't have the time to enjoy more the winning so it's good to be back with the players.'

Having only started training again last Thursday while other players had been full on since July 5, it was up to Kalou and the other World Cup players 'to improve our fitness and to get to their level and try to be ready for the first game,' as he explained in his own words.

Following the successes of last season, Kalou feels the pressure is on to go one better and win the elusive Champions League as well, and with no African Cup of Nations this time around, the club will not be shorn of several stars, something Kalou feels can be of great benefit.

'I believe that it can be a great season for us again if we can keep everyone fit; we have the team to do better than last year by winning the Champions League because it's very important everyone is hoping that the club win that trophy.'

In the last campaign he netted 12 times for his best season return in terms of goals since arriving at the club. Now though, his personal goal is to not only to better that but also to be a constant presence in the starting line-up.

'I want to score more goals than last year, between 15 and 20, and I think my personal goal is to be an important player for the team like in the end of last season and to continue at that level and play well for the team,' he said.

His other big hope for the campaign ahead is a return to first team duties for right-back Jose Bosingwa, who has been out since last October with a knee injury.

'He hasn't played for so long,' Kalou lamented. 'We want to see him back on the pitch doing his thing, and he will be like a new signing because it is such a long time since he played.'

By Robin Butler

You can see both of our pre-season games in Germany, against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday and Hamburg on Wednesday, live on Chelsea TV.