David Luiz has issued a rallying cry for Chelsea in their bid to win the Europa League, with the Brazilian adding the Blues should expect more twists and turns in Europe’s second-tier club competition.
Luiz knows a thing or two about European glory as he has been part of the west London club’s remarkable Champions League victory back in 2012 under Roberto di Matteo when they beat Bayern Munich via penalties at the Allianz Arena. A year later, the Stamford Bridge outfit secured a second continental trophy as they ran out 3-1 winners against Luiz’s former club Benfica in the Europa League.
With the west Londoners currently sitting at sixth place in the Premier League standings, they face a massive struggle to return to Europe’s premier club competition via the league with just seven games remaining. However, they can yet claim an automatic spot in next season’s Champions League group stages should they go on to win this season’s Europa League.
They are currently in the competition’s quarterfinal stage, where they will face Czech side Slavia Prague, a match in which they are 13/20 in the betting to triumph. So far, Chelsea have faced shallow resistance in their Europa League campaign, staying unbeaten in ten matches so far, including an 8-0 aggregate dismantling of their last-16 opponents Dynamo Kiev.
Maurizio Sarri’s side’s chances of winning the tournament are also heightened as the likes of fellow competition favourites Napoli and Arsenal are placed in the other bracket, meaning the west Londoners would only face them in the final should they reach that part, yet Luiz has warned his teammates to expect a tough ride nonetheless.
“To understand we have to be ready for every single moment. Bad moments can arrive, emotional moments can arrive, hard moments can arrive, and we have to be ready for that,” said the Brazilian centrehalf.
To win a tournament is not just flowers. I have learned a lot in my career, and football is nice because there is always something new, and you also have to be ready for that!”
