Ryan Bertrand is determined to take advantage of the chance to start for Chelsea. He is eager to get minutes on the pitch after Ashley Cole was diagnosed with a hamstring problem that will keep him away for at least 2 weeks according to the Mail Online after getting injured in the FA Cup replay against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Monday. It is a good opportunity for Bertrand to impress Benitez considering the Blues have a lot of matches still to play. Their busy schedule will offer the 23 year old at least three matches with a guaranteed place in the first eleven.

Chelsea’s next match is against Rubin Kazan, which will be a good opportunity for the young defender to prove his abilities and show he is the best option for replacing Cole. The next important challenge for both Bertrand and the Blues will be against Manchester City. The F.A Cup and the Europa League, although secondary targets at first, are the only ways Benitez’s team can win a trophy this season in which they have failed to stay in the race for the Premier League title or for the Champions League.

Bertrand has said that he is set on proving himself in each chance he gets. He is training hard and he is pushing his abilities to the limit in order to reach the same level of professionalism and skill as his mentor, Ashley Cole. According to recent reports it looks like Bertrand had Cole as a role model even before being signed by Chelsea.

Many of Chelsea’s fans see Bertrand as an excellent replacement for Cole, who will probably leave the Blues in a couple of years. He is fast and very skillful and could easily be a permanent solution for the left back position. This period will be an excellent chance to prove his qualities especially considering the matches that follow are very important in the context of the season.