There was always going to have to be a goodbye. This is, at least, surely better than the fate Michael Essien bore, the slow, tragic diminishing of one of football's great powers. Our breach with David Luiz comes as a sharp blow (albeit an anticipated one), and that leaves us able to say farewell properly. He was never met with universal acclaim, the dogma of his career swerving wildly from one extreme to the next depending on who you talked to. He was a madman, certainly, but the Brazilian was, if nothing else, our madman.
And now he isn't even that.
Tks CFC for this time of great partnership. I'm thankful for all! It's a new challenge and together we ll go even further. Allez Paris!
— David Luiz (@DavidLuiz_4) May 24, 2014
Intellectually, I understand what Chelsea are doing. Intellectually I know that the money we're receiving from Paris Saint-Germain justifies -- more than justifies, even -- this transfer. But to pretend fandom can possibly be supplied by logic standing alone, dissevered from the seething cloud of emotions that governs us as we watch... no. That wouldn't do at all
David Luiz was and is my favourite football player. I knew he was going to be gone someday, but I wish it was not now. I wish too there was someone to blame, that it was a mistake. I wish that I didn't understand why this was done, because that only makes me feel like I'm peering into the vicious workings of fate.
From us is taken a great footballer and a great man. I'll miss you, David Luiz. I wish we'd had more than three and a half years together. I'd put in highlight videos, photos from your triumphs, but that seems contrived right now and I honestly can't bear to look.
Goodbye.