The Catalan full-back was born in the hometown of Salvador Dali, and it has been a surreal journey to the top of the game for him, beginning as a 16-year-old with local club Unio Esportiva Figueres, in the fourth tier, and then stepping up division by division to the highest echelons of European football in the 12 years that have followed.

'I learned a lot about footballers in those days,' he says of those early seasons in the game. 'Some players would train in the morning with the football club and in the afternoon they would work in another job.

'I think all my career, I always had a lot of patience, plus hard work and commitment. And I have always been positive because, well, football players, we always want everything very quickly. Everything. But sometimes you need to be patient and just stay focused on the everyday, on improving. And I think this is the key.'

The 28-year-old – who signed from Rayo Vallecano in the summer – has gleaned plenty of wisdom en route to Stamford Bridge and he meets every challenge head on.

'I didn’t start in a big academy and I had to work hard,' he adds. 'I don’t know why, but I was always thinking that I wanted to become a professional football player. I wanted it, I really wanted it. I think that everything is possible if you work hard and you have a good mentality, and a good circle of friends and family.'

The programme team have also been in nostalgic mood this week. The latest instalment of our Greatest Games series reflects on our 4-0 win over Hull in May 1977, when Chelsea fans celebrated promotion back to the top flight with Eddie McCreadie and his team of young Blues.

Then there is a special Legacy feature marking 60 years of the Shed at Stamford Bridge with tales from the terraces by supporters who made it their home over the course of the decades.

There is all the latest news from around the club, plus everything you need to know going into the game. So make sure you pick up a copy from the programme sellers around the stadium, or order online from our official publications partner, Reach Sport.