Azpilicueta Praises Chelsea for Landing the World’s Leading Left-Back
Former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has openly declared that the club’s signing of Filipe Luis was a move to acquire “the best left-back on the planet.” Although Luis’s arrival at Stamford Bridge was met with enthusiasm, his stint was relatively short and didn’t quite fulfill the high hopes before he returned to Atletico Madrid.
Azpilicueta, a club legend with over 500 appearances across nearly twelve seasons, celebrated a career at Chelsea marked by winning every major trophy available.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea’s former captain, is rumored to be a target for a summer move to Atletico Madrid, with additional interest reportedly coming from Inter Milan.
During his tenure at Chelsea, Azpilicueta was part of a rock-solid defensive line alongside legends like John Terry and Thiago Silva, forming a defensive partnership that was difficult to break down.
His versatility was a key asset, especially when Jose Mourinho shifted him into a central defensive role following Filipe Luis’s arrival ahead of the 2014/15 season.
Although Filipe Luis’s transfer from Atletico Madrid sparked considerable anticipation, he struggled to cement a regular place in the starting lineup, making just 26 appearances before heading back to his former club.
Azpilicueta’s Insights
Azpilicueta acknowledged that Luis’s arrival heightened the internal competition and spoke highly of his former teammate’s abilities.
“At the time Filipe Luis joined Chelsea, he was arguably the world’s premier left-back,” Azpilicueta shared during an interview with Flashscore.
He added, “His arrival motivated me to raise my own standards. Playing alongside John Terry on the left side was an invaluable lesson in defensive discipline.”
Despite the challenge Luis presented, Azpilicueta remained Chelsea’s first-choice left-back for multiple seasons until the signings of Marcos Alonso and Ben Chilwell led to his repositioning back to right-back and central defense.
Filipe Luis’s Transition to Coaching and Prospects at Chelsea
Following his retirement from professional football, Filipe Luis has ventured into coaching and currently manages youth squads at Flamengo in Brazil.
His coaching career has already seen success, including guiding his team to a victory over Chelsea during the Club World Cup.
His promising coaching trajectory has drawn praise, with Brazilian football legend Zico forecasting that Luis might one day return to Chelsea in a managerial capacity.