The next chapter of the David Luiz love affair has begun.
More widely appreciated for his on-the-ball exploits rather than his actual defensive capabilities, his return is sure to spark fireworks at the Bridge.
In the winter of 2011, David Luiz was first signed by Chelsea for a fee in excess of £20M, with then fringe-player Nemanja Matic acting as a makeweight in the deal. His arrival was overshadowed by the arrival of Fernando Torres for a British transfer record fee, but it was without doubt Luiz who proved to be the most worthwhile acquisition.
We didn’t have to wait long to see what our new centre-back had to offer. He made his first start in an away draw at Craven Cottage, keeping a clean sheet and being awarded the Barclays man of the match award – despite giving away a late penalty.
Merely a few weeks later came his first goal for Chelsea, and who better for it to come against than Manchester United. Early in the second half the ball fell to David Luiz in the United penalty area, he kept cool and fired home on the half-volley. The audacity for Luiz to be in such an advanced area and then show the quality to beat Edwin Van der Sar left fans and pundits across the country in disbelief.
Manchester City were the next side to be struck by Luiz. He rose to meet Didier Drogba’s free-kick and open the scoring in a game Chelsea went on to win. He was awarded the player of the month award as a recognition of his top performances.
A knee injury delayed the start of his first full-season in England, but he found the net on his return against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League group stage.
This was the beginning of a European campaign that ultimately defined his first spell at Chelsea.
Influential as ever as the blues topped their group, Luiz also proved pivotal in the round-of-16 against Napoli.
Chelsea trailed 3-1 on aggregate after a damning defeat at the Stadio San Paolo in Naples. The return leg, however, saw a change of fortune – and David Luiz stepped up to the mark.
A stunning 4-1 victory over Napoli saw a Di Matteo-led side progress into the quarter-finals, and Luiz was named man of the match by UEFA in one of the greatest home victories in Chelsea history.
His overwhelming influence continued into the next round, once more being named man of the match on his return to former club Benfica. Luiz was in the starting eleven in both games and helped his side to a 3-1 aggregate victory and securing a place in the semi-finals against Barcelona.
A hamstring injury ruled the defender out of both legs against the Catalan side and also the FA Cup Final against Liverpool.
Luiz’s chances of being fit for the Champions League final were looking slim, he missed 35 days through injury and reportedly had a painful flare-up just two days before.
Di Matteo decided to risk him from the beginning against Bayern, and it proved to be an excellent decision.
He showed no sign of pain throughout the 120 minutes in Munich, snuffing out the deadly Mario Gomez and holding the German Champions to a 1-1 draw. His partnership with Gary Cahill throughout proved a force to be reckoned with for the Bayern attack.
Then came the moment that perhaps epitomised David Luiz better than we could have ever had imagined.
The 2012 Champions League final went to a penalty shoot-out, Luiz stepped up. The Brazillian opted for a long run up, a run up that left the hearts in the mouths of every Chelsea fan – and he thumped it into the top corner. A penalty in a game of this stature can define a career, but David Luiz was the coolest man in the stadium. A hamstring injury and 120 minutes of defending against Bayern’s attacking onslaught, but there was enough energy left in Luiz’s legs to produce a truly unstoppable penalty.
David Luiz was a European Champion, and in an interview with the Evening Standard he revealed just how much it meant to him.
When I was a kid, this was my dream and I play with the heart and I’m so happy to end up with the Champions League. – David Luiz, 2012.
In September later that year, Chelsea announced that David Luiz had signed a new 5-year contract, a reward for his stellar performances the previous season.
The 2012/13 was a busy one for Luiz, as he made 57 appearances in all competitions – more than in any season in his career to date.
It didn’t begin well for Luiz, as he suffered one of the most torrid games of his career, a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Atletico Madrid and notably Radamel Falcao in the European Super Cup.
Chelsea also suffered a shock defeat to Corinthians in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. Luiz was awarded the Silver ball for his performances throughout the competition but it proved to be little consolation as he was seen in floods of tears on the pitch after the game.
New Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez fielded David Luiz in midfield in a bid to get the best out of the Brazil international. He was fast being seen as a defensive liability, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville claiming he played as though he was controlled ‘by a 10-year old on a PlayStation’.
Luiz registered his best career goal-haul with seven and appeared comfortable being allowed to express himself without being in a position where his erratic nature could cost his side.
Having been eliminated in the Champions League group stages just months after winning the competition, Chelsea found themselves in the second-tier of European football – the Europa league.
The competition proved fruitful for the Blues and Luiz on a personal level. The bushy-haired Brazillian scored in both legs of Chelsea’s semi-final tie with Basel, helping them into their second European final in as many seasons.
The spotlight tends to follow Luiz whether he goes, and this ultimately was the undoing of him as Chelsea defeated Manchester United by a goal to nil at Old Trafford.
Luiz appeared to elbow compatriot Rafael before the United defender lashed out with a kick. The Chelsea man fell and feigned injury before being spotted smiling by the television cameras and was widely criticized by fans and the media.
Welcome back #DavidLuiz pic.twitter.com/ZXdnLcd7HO
— Betfair (@Betfair) September 1, 2016
The Europa League final came around and Luiz started in midfield, playing the full 90 minutes as Chelsea defeated his former side Benfica to win the competition. In doing so we became the latest member of an illustrious group to win all four major European trophies.
Rafa Benitez made way and Jose Mourinho became the fifth manager Luiz had played under at Chelsea in just two and a half seasons.
Luiz is not what you would call a quintessential Mourinho defender, his tendency to self-implode at center-back left him behind Gary Cahill and John Terry at the back. In midfield the Special One opted for a Ramires-Lampard double pivot in the early stages of the season before the arrival of Nemanja Matic in January added some steel to the midfield.
For the first time since his arrival at the Bridge, Luiz was being used sporadically and did not appear a key player under Mourinho’s ruling.
In June 2014, David Luiz left Chelsea to join Paris Saint-Germain in a £50 million deal – making him the most expensive defender of all-time.
After a strong start to life in France, he was named in the FIFA World Team of the year at the 2014 Ballon d’Or awards. His inclusion raised a few eyebrows but without doubt his dynamism and inventiveness separated him from any other defender out there.
The Champions League round-of-16 came around once more and PSG were drawn against Chelsea. David Luiz returned to the Bridge and initially recieved a warm reception from the fans.
Gary Cahill thought he’d won it for Chelsea in the 81st minute, but Luiz cancelled out his former defensive partners goal with a bullet header past the helpless Thibaut Courtois. His eccentric celebrations disgruntled Chelsea fans who saw them as disrespectful, but with his side ultimately qualifying for the quarter-finals it’d surely be harsh to criticize him for his delight – his passion is one of his greatest characteristics.
In his time in France, Luiz won two Ligue 1 titles, the Coupe de France and Couple de la Ligue trophies on two occasions and also the Trophee des Champions three years in a row. It took his trophy tally up to 16, making him one of the most decorated players of his generation – and he’s still only 29.
We hope that that trophy tally will grow considerably under Antonio Conte, as Luiz returns a more mature and experienced defender.
He no doubt has his flaws, he often lacks concentration and we may never feel fully comfortable with him in the back four; but I can’t think of many more fiersome center-back partnership than himself and Kurt Zouma. Premier League forwards beware.
Welcome back, @DavidLuiz_4!
Full story 👉 https://t.co/KduBiKbu0j pic.twitter.com/1BoKLG6W0d
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 31, 2016
The first time around it was a pleasure to have Luiz, he wore his heart on the sleeve every time he stepped foot on the pitch and that sort of passion was something we dearly lacked last season. We know for sure that he will go through hell and back to ensure the success of this football club and it’s a journey I’m excited to be a part of.
The next chapter of the Chelsea-David Luiz love affair is about to begin, and I promise you now – it won’t be boring.
