David Luiz loving life under Antonio Conte at Chelsea

David Luiz returned to Chelsea on transfer deadline day to much applause and giddy excitement, but probably just as many questions and raised eyebrows. Fortunately, he’s silenced the vast majority of those critics with his assured, steady, and crucial displays at the heart of the three-man defense, so we just get to bask unabashedly in the gloriousness of having David Luiz back in Chelsea blue.

"I have in my personality (leadership qualities); I like to organise, I try to be a leader in the dressing room too. I try to help my team-mates and the club — that's why I came back”

“I love the club, because I had the opportunity, because I think it was my purpose to come back.”

"Decisions in football happen quickly. When Chelsea came to me and said they wanted me to come back I was happy because I had a special moment here - one of the best in my career. I won the Champions League, the Europa League.”

While David Luiz has always had that irrepressible joie de vivre that endeared him to us so, he seems to have added a more serious, a more “grown-up”, if you will, side to his game.

Or maybe that’s just the system he gets to play in now, which, as we’ve talked about repeatedly, highlights his best qualities (as it does for many other players as well) while mitigating his not-so-best ones. All credit to the coach for that of course.

“I always love football but of course it's good when you win and the team is doing well. We understand the philosophy, the system. Everyone is giving 100 per cent for the team. The collective comes before the individual.”

“I think when you understand the plan and the philosophy of the coach, it's much easier. It's like when you're at school and you love to do something, you're in the advanced class. That's the key.”

“We love football, we understand the philosophy, we have a connection with the manager and this connection gives us confidence. He's a top manager.”

In his interview with Sky Sports, David Luiz also touches on how greatly the Chapecoense tragedy affected him, and of course the hard work that’s required to keep up Chelsea’s title challenge.

“Winning the Premier League is never easy, whether you're at home or away, the games are always tough. It's good but it's too early to speak about the title or being favourites. We need to keep working hard every day.”

-David Luiz; source: Sky

Including today. Let’s go.