Chelsea star David Luiz has explained how Antonio Conte influenced his decision to return to the club when he rejoined from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window.
The Brazilian defender left the Blues in the summer of 2014 and spent two seasons with PSG before returning to Stamford Bridge late on last summer.
Despite initial scepticism from some quarters, Luiz has looked a different player under Conte, who the 29-year-old has called one of the best coaches he’s ever worked with.
Luiz is desperate to win the Premier League in his second spell with Chelsea, something he didn’t do in his first, and he felt convinced he could do so under Conte’s guidance.
‘I love this club and I saw that if I came back it was because there was a story to continue,’ he told ESPN Brasil.
‘I did not win the Premier League during my first spell and this is a goal I have now. To help where I can to win this championship. Conte has been great in that regard.’
Known for being something of a liability earlier in his Blues career, Luiz believes Conte’s tactics and work on the training ground have now made him a better player.
‘He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with,’ he added. ‘He knows very well the characteristics of each player and we follow exactly what he guides us to do on the pitch.
‘We soon understood the philosophy and system that Conte likes to play. He made us understand even more that the collective dedication to a system is fundamental for the individuals to stand out.
‘We know how to play with and without the ball, both in attack and defence. If we are without the ball, everyone knows how to defend and with it, each one knows his role well to help the attack.
‘Conte is a coach who loves what he does and it infects all of us who love football. Every training and every game is a manifestation of how winning and competing is important to him, so for us, the motivation to keep focus is always high.’
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