Alvaro Morata’s goal is simple as Chelsea star sets out to complete his Champions League hat-trick

Alvaro Morata is targeting a Champions League hat-trick by helping Chelsea win the competition this season.

Chelsea are back after failing to qualify for last season’s tournament and play their first group game at home to Azerbaijan champions FK Qarabag on Tuesday night.

Morata, who joined Chelsea from Real Madrid for a club record £58million in July, has already won the European Cup twice.

The 24-year-old striker lifted the trophy with Real Madrid in 2014 and 2017 and has made adding a third crown his top priority at Chelsea this term.

He said: “For me the Champions League is the main prize you can win, both as a club and as a player.

“I have lived through the experience of playing in this competition with both Juventus and Real Madrid - and I have won titles. This season I am playing to win again. It will be a special success for me if we can do it.”

Morata has made a good start to his career at Stamford Bridge and goes into tomorrow’s match full of confidence.

The Spain international scored with his third header in four League games on Saturday as Chelsea beat Leicester 2-1 to climb up to third in the table.

Despite being a fringe player during two spells at Real, plus having a few injuries while at Juventus between 2014-16, Morata has still scored 11 times in 35 Champions League matches.

He first played in the competition in 2012, making his European debut in a 4-1 victory for Real over Ajax at the Bernabeu when he was only 19.

Morata’s other trophies include two La Liga trophies, two Spanish Cups, two Italian championships, two Italian Cups, one Italian Super Cup, one Fifa Club World Cup and one European Under-21 Cup.

But he is far from satisfied and added: “I have won a lot but I want to win more. My dream is to score a lot of goals here and to win titles with Chelsea. That’s why I left Madrid and accepted the offer here. I want to be ambitious.”

Chelsea have recovered well since losing their opening League game to Burnley and are now just one point behind both Manchester clubs at the top of the table.

Morata wasn’t considered by coach Antonio Conte to be physically ready to start the Premier League campaign, but has been named in the first XI for their last three matches.

The striker has no doubts he can cope with the demands of leading the line in England.

He said: “It’s not easy adapting to a new country with a different style of play but I am working hard. I am a professional player and I truly believe it is not going to be a problem. I feel good here.

“The reaction (after the Burnley defeat), especially in the derby (2-1 win) against Tottenham, was very good. An accident is possible in the first days of the season and that’s how we saw it. Now we want to push on.

“I have moved between Italy and Spain before and now I am in England. The experience is not easy but all I want is to help the club with my goals and win big trophies.”

Eden Hazard, who made his first appearance of the season at the King Power Stadium following an ankle injury, has been impressed with Morata’s contribution so far.

Morata also scored three times for Spain during the recent international break and Hazard said: “He is a top player, he can score every time. Especially when he scores, we win the game.

“I think he’s in a good form, even with the national team. I hope for Chelsea that he can score a lot of goals.”