DAVID LUIZ
Chelsea’s Samba star on pre-match prep, coping with criticism and the role of the modern defender
Hi David. You seem to have a very laid-back personality – how do you remain so relaxed during a match? I’m anything but relaxed! But thanks, I’m happy you think that. When you play at this level of football there’s no room to be relaxed for any second at all. As a Chelsea player, I am involved in top-level competitions for the entire season and my level of concentration is just as high as my responsibilities. The day before a match I am already living it. I think about the game, plan my strategy, focus on my opponent’s ability and so on. This thought process continues right until the final whistle of the match and it soon starts again in preparation for the following game.
Some players describe suffering from pre-match nerves – is this something you’ve experienced? The most important thing is to forget everything that surrounds you away from football and simply focus on the manager’s advice. If you have got his confidence and your team-mates’ as well, it’s all you need to go and show your quality on the pitch. Facing tough moments throughout the 90 minutes is a part of the game, but you have to remain focused and forget about any particular mistake that might happen. If you manage to do so and stay calm, you will end up avoiding bad decisions.
Gary Neville said that you played as if ‘being controlled by a 10-year-old on a Playstation’ during a defeat to Liverpool in 2011. Did that hurt you? I prefer to give attention to constructive criticism. I respond well to that sort of feedback because I can learn from it and improve in the future. This type of advice makes you reflect on your game and informs you how to improve from mistakes you may have made. Helpful advice, which comes from polite people – like family and friends as well as your coaches and team-mates – is always very welcome. I get stronger with this kind of criticism. It helps to make me a better player and better person, too. You’re a centre-back who likes to get on the ball a lot. How did you learn to become so comfortable in possession? This comes from my time in the youth teams of Vitoria, back in Brazil. I used to play as a holding midfielder there and developed this taste for getting the ball and trying to start an attack whenever it was possible. I practised how to control the ball, keep hold of it and pass it well over short and long distances. All of these skills are really important regardless of your position in the team’s formation. I’ve utilised these attributes at every club that I’ve played for since then and tried to show it in each competition. I’m always trying to improve my skills and correct mistakes during training sessions. Nothing comes for free.
Do you think the role of a defender has evolved recently? Yes, it’s definitely changed because football as a whole has changed as well. But at the end of the day, your duties will always depend on your manager’s decisions. The centre-back’s role usually gets affected by the system that your team uses and the strategy you have, so it will be different for every club. In some systems there’s more freedom for a defender to go forward, but in others you have got to stay back all of the time. Also, in the past it was pretty rare to see defenders taking a curling free-kick, as they’d always be really powerful shots. However, now we see players hitting the ball like forwards and midfielders, right?
Do you prefer to play as a holding midfielder or a central defender? I prefer to do whatever the manager wants. At the moment I’m playing as a sweeper for Chelsea, although I did play in front of the centre-backs during my first spell at the club. It all depends on the manager’s decision, which can also be impacted by the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. For me, it isn’t difficult to adapt to a new role. As a professional footballer you must be ready to fight for your team-mates, no matter where you are on the pitch.
How big a challenge was it adapting to European football when you joined Benfica, after growing up in Brazil? I believe that the culture of the country influences its style of football. You carry the values you learn off the pitch onto it as well. In general, players from Europe have more discipline in comparison to the South American players. On the other hand, improvising may come more naturally to the South Americans. However, this is changing because of the huge number of South American players now in Europe, which means that both cultures are influencing one another. But some differences will continue to exist and, as a Brazilian, I have to admit that it’s an advantage if you have the ability to improvise during the difficult moments.
“The day before a match starts I’m already living it. I plan strategy and focus on my opponents until the final whistle”