Despite being a figure of fun when he joined PSG
last summer, the Brazilian has rebuilt his career in
France and completed his redemption on Tuesday
on the biggest stage.
Jose Mourinho made no secret of his pleasure in
offloading David Luiz to Paris Saint-Germain last
summer. Yet the amiable Brazil international center
back returned to Stamford Bridge to haunt his
former boss on Wednesday.
With Chelsea on the brink of the Champions League
quarterfinals, the defender headed PSG level from a
late corner kick. Not only did this pave the way for
the French champion to secure a dramatic victory
on away goals after extra time, but it brought
personal redemption for Luiz after he was
humiliated by his former coach.
Asked in early August if Chelsea would miss the 27-
year-old, Mourinho told the press: “As a central
defender not at all.
“David did important things here, was always a
good professional and we will miss him as a good
guy. But from a football point of view, we believe
our squad is stronger this season than it was.”
In west London, the inimitable defender came to be
seen as little more than a jovial clown.
Bullet | David Luiz's powerful header was a shot in
the arm for PSG
Luiz answered his critics emphatically during both
legs of the last-16 encounter. Not only did he land a
telling blow on the London side’s qualification hopes,
he also coped admirably with the unique physical
and psychological task presented to him by the
brutish Diego Costa. It was the kind of defensive
display the Portuguese did not believe he was
capable of.
A first-half collision between the two men at
Stamford Bridge led to suggestions that Luiz had
thrown an elbow, and Mourinho’s post-match
quotes suggested that there is still bad blood
between the Chelsea boss and his former charge.
“They can do what is fair from the disciplinary point
of view and suspend David,” the Portuguese said. In
the same breath he indicated that Zlatan
Ibrahimovic, another of his former players, should
be given a reprieve for his controversial red card.
True to his character, Luiz was rather more
complimentary about his former employer after the
game, with television pictures showing him enjoying
some jovial words with the Chelsea ground staff
who offered their congratulations to him. Minutes
later, he publicly apologized to the Blues’ fans for
celebrating one of the most important goals of his
career.
Moving to PSG has been somewhat cathartic for the
center back.
Released from the shackles of Mourinho’s cynical
negativity, he has found himself playing for a team
that offers him more freedom to express himself.
When he takes on apparently needless risks at Parc
des Princes, there are cheers of delight from the
home support and no longer gasps of fear. He has
become a cult hero because of his audacity.
Immediately prior to the second leg of the Chelsea
tie, he played a key offensive role in the domestic
fixture against Lens. PSG lacked dynamism in the
first half save for the defender’s daring forays, and
he ultimately broke the deadlock with a fizzing free
kick that he had persuaded Ibrahimovic to leave to
him. It was his fourth goal of the season and set his
side up for a 4-1 victory.
Luiz now looks more capable of playing a more
disciplined role when the occasion asks for it in
Europe. At Chelsea there were times when he
looked like a dog straining on a leash, now he is
prepared to cut a more obedient figure.
Ibrahimovic has certainly been appreciative of his
new teammate. Speaking of PSG’s central defensive
combination following the Chelsea win he said:
“Thiago Silva and David Luiz are both world-class
players. I’m happy to have them with me.”
Of course, the specter of Brazil’s 7-1 World Cup
semifinal defeat by Germany, in which he endured
the worst game of his career, will follow him for the
rest of his life. And the very nature of his personality
means that there will always be an element of risk
attached to his presence on a football pitch. But this
has now been successfully tempered in France.
The 50 million euro fee PSG paid for his services
remains an absurd price, yet for Luiz, leaving
Mourinho red faced after Wednesday’s victory will
have been priceless. Considered a clown while at
Chelsea - now who is laughing?
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