Southampton defender Toby Alderweireld is well aware that the prospect of trying to stop former Atletico Madrid teammate Diego Costa when Premier League leaders Chelsea visit St Mary's on Sunday will be one of his toughest tests of the season.
Alderweireld began 2014 playing alongside Costa at the Spanish champions and ends it trying to contain a player he believes is one of the best in the world.
This has been quite the year for the 25-year-old, having made the loan move to Saints fresh from helping Belgium to the World Cup quarterfinals and Atletico's most successful team for a generation.
Alderweireld was part of the Colchoneros side which won a first Primera Division title in 18 years and he came off the bench in the Champions League final, where rivals Real Madrid cruelly denied them a famous double.
It took extra time for Real to eventually triumph in Lisbon, though things could have been so different had star man Costa not been forced off just nine minutes into what proved his last match for Atletico.
The bustling forward moved to Chelsea in the summer and has so far lived up to his 32 million-pound price tag, with his strike in the 2-0 win against West Ham on Boxing Day making it 13 goals from his first 15 Premier League matches.
Alderweireld faces the unenviable task of attempting to stop Costa adding to that tally on Sunday, with the defender well aware of the threat his former teammate poses.
"It is very difficult because he is fast, he is strong, he has technique," he said. "He can score goals, is good with his head, so I have to be at my best to stop him."
Costa is not the only threat Alderweireld knows all too well about, having this year also played alongside attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and full-back Filipe Luis.
"They are the best players in the world, especially Diego and Eden Hazard," he said. "We have to be at our top to beat them."
Despite that, he says Southampton will head into the match brimming with confidence after continuing their impressive resurgence at Selhurst Park.
Fresh from ending their worst losing streak of the 21st century against Everton, Ronald Koeman's men triumphed 3-1 against Crystal Palace thanks to goals from Sadio Mane, Ryan Bertrand and Alderweireld.
"It's the best feeling, even for a defender," the latter said after his first Premier League goal. "I am very, very pleased that I could help the team and after we made it 3-0 it was over, I think.
"It is always difficult to win here and play here, especially over the Christmas period.
"They need the points and we knew that before, but I think we played very good, defensively it was fantastic and in important moments we killed the game.
"It is very important after a couple of difficult weeks to win again.
"They were two difficult games, Everton and now here at Crystal Palace, but we got six out of six points, made six goals and conceded one. We are getting our confidence back."
Chelsea should represent a much bigger test, though, as will having to deal with such a quick turnaround between fixtures -- a new issue for manager Koeman and number of his players.
"Two days after a game, play another game -- that has never happened to me before," Alderweireld said. "I will prepare myself the best way I can and I hope to be 100 percent for Sunday."