Thiago Silva reflects on ‘frustrating’ season full of change, indecision, negligence at Chelsea

Thiago Silva cut an emotional figure at the end of last night’s 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid, with a downcast frown on his face as he applauded the fans and got comforted by the manager for whom he signed with Chelsea three years ago. The loss not only eliminated the Blues from continental competition this season but next season (at least) as well, and for Thiago personally, it probably was the final European match of his illustrious, legendary career.

He’s signed with us through next season, but if he stays, he will be almost 40 by the earliest time we might return to the European stage. Not even he can defy the odds forever, as he reflected upon after this latest defeat.

“It has been a very difficult season and a frustrating one for me personally. It might have been my last match in the Champions League. I have only one year left on my contract and my career is reaching the end. It’s a very sad day.”

And after such a season, it might be extra hard to find the motivation to keep going, to keep putting in the work, to stick to the daily grind. Silva is the utmost professional, but everyone has their limit.

And like many others looking at the club from outside and within, Silva doesn’t necessarily agree with all that he’s seen this season — and not just from the new owners, but from his teammates as well. Mistakes have been made. Many, by many.

Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

(It should be noted that I’ve not been able to locate the original interview, so we only have the Metro’s transcription to go on. The one that others had linked, with TNT Sports, does not have these words and, ironically, talks about how some things shouldn’t be said in the press.)

“I think the first step has been made. An incorrect step, but it has been made. [...] It’s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision. Change of ownership, new players arriving — we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad.

‘A positive point is that there are amazing players in the squad but on the other hand there are always players that are going to be unhappy. [We] need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes.”

UPDATE: It’s from a beIN Sports interview, possibly with a slight mistranslation/omission

Of course, when you make mistakes, your response should be to take responsibility and corrective action. Some mistakes cannot be fixed at this point, but lessons still must be learned and must be learned quickly, before next season.

“We can’t be blaming the managers if we don’t take responsibility. [...] Everybody talks too much about replacing managers. I think we, as players, must also take responsibility.

“We have had three managers this season, plus a fourth with Bruno where we failed to win. We have lost today and with Lampard we have failed to win. Everybody is talking about the manager but we must look at what has been done wrong and try to change.”

-Thiago Silva; source: Metro

There isn’t much to be happy about from this season. But what’s done is done. Not we get back up again.

“Life is hard for those who are soft. If it’s up to me, I’ll get up every time I fall.

“Life goes on and we need to deal with this type of moment, as much as we don’t like it.”

-Thiago Silva; source: TNT Sports via ESPN Brasil