Luiz calls for united Chelsea squad
Chelsea defender David Luiz has told those teammates unhappy at not playing regularly that they should think more about the rest of the team, or give up football for an individual sport, the Daily Mirror has reported.
The newspaper suggests that Luiz was addressing John Terry, the Chelsea captain who has been out of the team of late after his recovery from a knee injury took longer than anticipated. Terry is expected to play on Thursday against Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League but has missed the last three Premier League games, appearing only as a substitute.
Luiz acknowledged that no player likes being out of the team but insisted that in a team sport, it’s something you have to deal with from time to time. The Brazil international added that there is no room in a team game for individuals who only want what is best for them and not what is best for the team.
He said: “I don’t want to be on the bench or out of the squad - I want to be in the XI. I love to play. I don’t feel really good when I don’t play. Sometimes when you stay on the bench and you are fit, it is a bad feeling.
“But I understand sometimes you need to play other players. And to plan the game it is better to play other players than me. You need to understand this is one team, this is the quality of sport.
“If you want the team to do just my thing and play always, play tennis or an individual sport. All the players in the world want to play and don’t want to stay on the bench.”
Luiz has been at Stamford Bridge since January 2011, moving from Benfica in a £21m deal. He has played almost 100 games for the Blues, occasionally appearing in midfield, and scored nine goals.
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