The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Willian confirms exit as Chelsea’s season ends
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Brazilian leaves Stamford Bridge with ‘head held high’
Willian has announced the “time has now come” to leave Chelsea amid repeated reports of a free transfer switch to London rivals Arsenal.
The Brazil forward, who turned 32 yesterday, is out of contract following a seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea made their exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Willian won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and the Europa League with the Blues and said he would depart with his “head held high”.
“The time has now come to move on. I am certainly going to miss my teammates,” he wrote in an open letter to Blues fans published on Twitter.
“I will miss all the staff at the club who’ve always treated me like a son and I will miss the fans.
“I leave with my head held high, safe in the knowledge that I won things here and always did my best in a Chelsea shirt.
“My heartfelt thanks go out to all of you and God bless you.”
Willian, who has been struggling with an ankle injury, missed last weekend’s FA Cup final loss to the Gunners, as well as Saturday’s 4-1 defeat in Munich.
Having turned down Tottenham to join Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, he scored 63 goals in 339 appearances.
“They were seven wonderful years. In August 2013 when I received the offer from Chelsea, I was convinced that this was where I had to play,” he wrote, reflecting on his time with the Blues.
“Today I am certain that it was the best of decisions. There were so many happy times, some sad, there were trophies and it was always very intense.”
Ahead of Saturday’s mauling in Munich, which completed a 7-1 aggregate loss, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said there would be no hard feelings if Willian opted to leave.
Another player heading for the exit door is fellow forward Pedro.
The Spaniard, who suffered a shoulder injury in the FA Cup final, is set to join Roma on a free transfer.
After securing Champions League qualification through a fourth-placed finish, Lampard’s first campaign as boss ended on disappointing notes with the cup final loss followed by a difficult trip to Germany.
Bayern now move on to a mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Barcelona in Lisbon on Friday.
Lionel Messi inspired Barca to a 3-1 win over Napoli in their second leg clash on Saturday to complete a 4-2 aggreagte victory.
Messi scored a fine solo goal and won a penalty in a virtuoso first-half display after Clement Lenglet got them up and running with a 10th-minute header.
Lorenzo Insigne replied for Napoli from the spot in first-half added time, but, despite a strong second-half push, they were left with too much to do.