Bournemouth’s Nathan Aké: I’ve got nothing to prove to Chelsea

Nathan Aké insists he has nothing to prove to Antonio Conte when he returns to Chelsea with Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, after being sold by the manager in the summer with first-team opportunities scarce at Stamford Bridge.

Since arriving at Bournemouth for a club-record £20m in June, Aké has impressed in the heart of defence, although the backline was pulled apart by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino in Sunday’s 4-0 defeat.

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Aké is set to play at Stamford Bridge for the first time as a Bournemouth player. He spent six years at Chelsea, starting in the academy, but made only two Premier League starts for the club, who loaned him to Watford and Bournemouth. “I have nothing to prove,” the 22-year-old said. “I don’t go there to prove myself or things like this. It’s just a game, a big game for us. We want to go to the semi-final and that’s what I want to think about, not about other things. I had a good time there so it will be good to be back at the Bridge, for sure.”

Aké is confident that Bournemouth, without a win in six matches, can bounce back after the team endured a nine-match winless run at the beginning of this year, before losing two of their final 12 matches to finish ninth in the Premier League. The match at Chelsea provides a welcome distraction from their current league problems that see them sit just a point above the relegation zone.

“To get to the semi-final would be really big for this club,” Aké said. “So obviously it will be a good chance to turn this around. It will be difficult as Chelsea is not a small club but every game is difficult, so we’ll go there with a positive mind and to try to win the game.

“We had bad games last season and the game after we turned it around, so I think it’s good that we have a game [now] so we can turn it around quick. We have to pick up from last Wednesday [a 1-0 defeat by Manchester United], the positives, and try to do that again against Chelsea.

“Obviously they’re a very good side, very good players, same as Liverpool — the front players are really dangerous. So it will be tough for us but mentally we need to prepare again and try to win the game. I think [against Liverpool] was the worst we have played in the Premier League, this season. Normally we’re compact — this season defensively we’ve been stronger than before but I think we were too open, conceded sloppy goals, and it was just a bad performance.”

Charlie Daniels and Joshua King are out for Bournemouth, with groin and hamstring injuries respectively, meaning Steve Cook and Jack Simpson could return in defence. Lys Mousset or Benik Afobe could lead the line because Callum Wilson, who received a precautionary injection in a knee last week, may be kept fresh for Saturday’s league game at Manchester City.