There aren’t many players in this Chelsea team who have had their expectations drop as quickly and drastically as defender Benoit Badiashile.

After spending €37 million to join in January 2023, he showed great promise, and at the end of that season, we were all eager to see what he might accomplish with a little more time to get settled and develop. He even had a song of his own. He appeared to be one of the club’s bright lights during a dismal period.

However, it appeared to have the opposite effect. Instead of getting better over time, he continued to deteriorate, and by the end of the previous season, the majority of supporters were completely pessimistic about his future. He has been on the B team since the beginning of this season under Enzo Maresca, and even there, he has had some wobbly moments.

However, the Frenchman put on a strong display Friday night, controlling the game from the back and projecting a calm, confident demeanor—qualities that have been hard to find in him during the past 12 months.

For many of our struggling periphery players, these Conference League games against weaker opponents are turning out to be pleasant and restorative. Despite having a back three in possession, Badiashile seemed to like playing centrally in particular. He was quite imposing there, using his passing to dictate the game’s pace and knowing he had both sides’ backing.

We still don’t anticipate the first team connection between Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana ending anytime soon. However, Tosin hasn’t performed well as their backup, and Badiashile might easily surpass the summer acquisition in the standings and take his place as a reliable number three.