Olivier Boscagli: 'On our best level we can beat anyone'

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Defender delighted to have been part of Albion's strong start to the season heading into the trip to Chelsea.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-08-29T07:30+01:00

Delight for Olivier Boscagli who scored our fourth goal in the win over Tromso on Thursday. 📷James Boardman

Olivier Boscagli is delighted to have been ever present in this season’s three competitive games after finding playing time hard to get at times last season.

The Frenchman featured in only 12 Premier League matches in 2025-26 after joining the club from PSV Eindhoven.

“Of course, the first season is a bit about adapting,” he said. “The Premier League is totally different than other leagues. That's why it's the best league in the world. Sometimes I struggled a bit last season to bring myself to my best level, and I have tried from the pre-season to show my best, tried to be on the pitch as many times as possible.

“From the first official game, I didn't miss one minute. I'm really happy, looking forward for the next. Also, I will try to keep pushing forward, to keep my place on the pitch, and show the coach that he can rely on me.”

It was not a new situation for him when joining a new club. “I'd struggle a bit in my past with my old clubs,” he said. “The first season every time adapting, knowing new faces, new style of football, new coaches, new teammates.

"And of course, when you don't play a lot, it's difficult, so you have to ask yourself two questions: find the easy way and leave the club, or try to show your best and just step up? That's what I tried to do.”

Did he consider the former option? “No, not at all.”

This season he finds himself one of five central defenders. “The season is quite long, so we still have a lot of games coming, so we also need everybody. But I try to step up and show my best.”

He has fitted in by playing the past two matches at left back, although taking up different positions to those seen from Ferdi Kadioglu and Max De Cuyper.

“Yeah, because officially I'm a central back, I'm more used to playing in a central position. But the gaffer knows that he can put me on the pitch and I will try to do my best. And of course, if you play with me as a left-back, we are totally different than with Ferdi or Max.

“I try to bring something a bit different, try to come inside the middle and be, let's say, plus one in the middle to help the team with the build-up. It's working good at the moment, but for me, just to be on the pitch is just amazing already.”

The trip to Chelsea promises to be the most difficult challenge so far but Boscagli is looking forward to it.

“Tough game again,” he said. “We had a good start of the season, we have to keep going in the same way. We know how hard it is to play in Chelsea, especially away, a really strong team. But we also know that we have the quality to beat them.

“We know we're in good shape, in a good rhythm. We've two clean sheets in the first two official games, which is important. Eight goals, it's also really important. So it gives us a lot of confidence. It gives us a lot of power also. We're going to try to do what we did in the last two games in Chelsea.

“And yes, we know it's going to be a different opponent again, with a lot of qualities, different qualities. But we know that if we play on this level, on our best level, we can beat everybody. So that's how we're going to go there.”