IMPORTANT MATA IN NEW MAG

Juan Mata reveals his studious side in this month's official Chelsea magazine which is available now.

In the cover feature the Spanish playmaker talks about his move from Valencia to the Blues, the differences he has found in London and with British life and his outlook on education.

Mata is striving to learn all the time, whether it's new tricks on the pitch or his command of the English language, and insists football and educating yourself don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Most importantly however, Mata tells Chelsea about playing for the Blues.

'It seems everything has come together really nicely for me,' says our new number 10.

'I have been given the opportunity to grow as a footballer within a really big club. However, this is not just a chance to grow on a professional level but also on a personal level because I am living in a new country, learning the language and studying.

'It's important for me to grow as a person; to gain new experiences, to explore other cultures, ways of life and learn a new language.'

Since his August arrival the 23-year-old has been discovering more about the part of the city where he now plies his trade, and also some of Chelsea's history, although he already knows some of the names the Blues fans hold dear to their hearts.

'Gianfranco Zola was an incredibly talented player, a really high-quality footballer, who scored a lot of goals and was involved in setting up a lot of goals as well. On arriving here at Chelsea, it's quite clear that he's a legend and that people have a lot of respect for him,' Mata observes.

'That's what he deserves, as he was a brilliant player. I remember when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink played in Spain, for Atletico Madrid, and he scored a lot of goals. People in

Spain would call him "The Hasselbaink Rifle" because he would always be shooting!'

'I haven't seen too much of London yet, but the area around Stamford Bridge - the King's Road, Chelsea and Fulham - is really impressive. This seems to be a very cosmopolitan, multicultural city, so I'm really looking forward to exploring it.'

This month's magazine has more from current Chelsea stars including a Photo Album feature with Mr Chelsea himself, John Terry.

The club's captain has selected an array of images from his illustrious career, including ones showing his first goal, winning the league title and even a stint between the posts. Terry himself talks fans through the pictures, explaining why they mean so much to him.

And speaking of big moments playing for the Blues, Alex reveals in this month's pages his most memorable occasion in a Chelsea shirt plus he reminisces on his professional debut, his maiden trip to Europe, his first piece of silverware and his international debut.

Looking further back, this month's The Boys Are Back In Town hears from former Blue Alan Birchenall, one of the club's first six-figure signings.

Fans can also read up on Academy player John Swift, who, as an aspiring midfielder, names Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Zinedine Zidane as his influences.

On top of all that, racing driver Johnny Herbert and basketball star Kevin Garnett talk about being Chelsea fans and Ron Harris and Charlie Cooke check out the new museum at Stamford Bridge.

All this and more is in the new Chelsea, priced just £3.25 from the Megastore and all good newsagents.