ESPN Brasil features on Thursday a long interview with Arsenal defender David Luiz, where he was pretty sincere about the moment the club has been going through.
We’ve covered earlier today the quotes where the 32-year-old claims the Gunners should still fight for the titles of Premier League and Europa League, and also revealed the reasons why he’ll be ambitious until the end of his career.
Now there are a few more interesting quotes regarding the teammates David Luiz has at Arsenal. One of them is Willian, a long time friend, who’s made the same move from Chelsea to the Gunners.
The defender acknowledges that the winger isn’t having a great start at the Emirates Stadium, but claims things will soon be fine for him, since David Luiz himself struggled with the same issues.
“The person Willian, few people know him. But those who know, can’t not say that they love him. Because everyone loves him as a person”, David Luiz told ESPN Brasil.
“The player Willian everyone knows. And everyone knows Willian’s potential. And he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone after so many years at the high level. And he’s a moment which it’s not so pleasant at the individual level because things are not happening. But he’s an experienced, intelligent guy, who knows what he should know, what he must do every day. You don’t see Willian murmuring to train, you don’t see Willian not training. He’s always dedicated, he’s looking for the best, to improve, to grow. You don’t see Willian with an ugly face on the bench. All those things.”
“So he’s a guy who will go through this, he will go through this moment and he’ll still bring a lot of joy to Arsenal, to this club. Because there’s this turbulence, just as I had in the first months. I’s not easy, you change clubs, from one rival to another, you have all the cannons facing you. Everything you do people will compare. Supporters on one side who loved you are sad because you left and are nervous. Supporters on the other side, who cheered against you, are like, ‘I’m not going to like this guy who came from the other side’.
“You end up feeling, in a way, just a little until you adapt. My first months weren’t easy, and that’s what I try to pass on to Willian. ‘Calm down, things will work out, things will happen. Just keep working because you’re you, there’s no way to change. You’re a great person and you’re a great player. Calm down. Things are going to happen’. That’s what we try. Everyone already loves Willian here, so I know that things will happen in the best possible way soon.”
Davi Luiz also spoke about the relationship he has with younger players, claiming he works as a mentor for most of them.
“I try to share experiences with him and mainly to give him what many have given me during my career. Because it’s all new to them. It’s new that you’re playing the first game. It’s new that you’re playing and being the best player in the game. It’s new for you to play the next game with the responsibility of having been the best in the last game. It’s new for you not to play after you’ve had a big game. It’s new for you to stay on the bench two games and not come in. So it’s all new to them.”
“So I try to simply make them understand and pass on my experiences that football, every day, will give you new challenges where you must have a clear head, try to understand the biggest purpose. The biggest purpose will always be the collective part. What is the collective objective. Then within the collective goal how you can fit your individual goals and how you can understand and get your answers from every moment that will happen in your season.”
“And I try to be on their side. When it must be playful, talking to them, talking about everything. As with Saka playing, talking to him… he was talking about his first girlfriend, that you have to take flowers, that whole thing. And then you enter that part of football, where he’s much more open and intimate and more comfortable to talk everything with me, and give advice and embrace. And that’s my role. I like… I like to be with people, I like to live the dream in this collective way. I like to see it come true and it brings me joy. That’s why I do it, I do it with love, with affection, just as many have done in my career.”
