FRANCE: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - PSG's Luiz happy in Paris, holds no grudge against Chelsea's Mourinho

Record ID: 190088

  • Title: FRANCE: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - PSG's Luiz happy in Paris, holds no grudge against Chelsea's Mourinho
  • Date: 23rd October 2014
  • Summary: SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, OUTSIDE PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 23, 2014) (REUTERS) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN DEFENDER DAVID LUIZ WALKING PAST VARIOUS OF LUIZ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHER LUIZ CLAPPING IN HANDS AS IF TO START A RECORDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN CENTRE-BACK DAVID LUIZ SAYING: "It was my choice, I'm thinking just my cycle (at Chelsea) had finished, I decided to move and then PSG showed me a nice plan for the moment and for the future and the moment they showed me this, I say this is the club I want to be next season, so that's why I chose PSG and I did right because now I am so happy here." SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, OUTSIDE PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 7, 2014) (REUTERS) DAVID LUIZ WITH PSG TEAMMATES AT TRAINING SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, OUTSIDE PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 23, 2014) (REUTERS) 6 . (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN CENTRE-BACK DAVID LUIZ SAYING: "No, Chelsea offered me a new contract and it was my decision to leave Chelsea and I don't have one problem with Mourinho, I don't have any problem with him." LUIZ BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN CENTRE-BACK DAVID LUIZ SAYING: "It's the past, I think you learn with everything, we keep what we did well and you learn what you did bad, this is football now it is the new season, new things so you need to think this way because football never stops." PSG LOGO ON SHIRT SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, OUTSIDE PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 7, 2014) (REUTERS) DAVID LUIZ RUNNING DURING PSG TRAINING SESSION SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, OUTSIDE PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 23, 2014) (REUTERS) DAVID LUIZ'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN CENTRE-BACK DAVID LUIZ SAYING: "Chelsea gave me a lot of good things and if I score (against Chelsea) I think I don't need to celebrate, of course I will be happy because I am helping my team, my team now is PSG but I don't need to celebrate because I was happy in Chelsea aswell and I respect the club, the fans and everyone." LUIZ FACE LUIZ BEING INTERVIEWED
  • Embargoed: 7th November 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACKSKKNLM9OO1BYE7ON8HWL63L
  • Story Text: Even if Jose Mourinho did not rate him very highly, Brazil and Paris St Germain centre back David Luiz said on Thursday (October 23) there is no bad blood between him and Chelsea.
    Luiz, who captained Brazil in their nightmarish 7-1 defeat against Germany in the World Cup semi-final, moved from London to PSG during the close season for 50 million pounds.
    Chelsea manager Mourinho said that he would only miss Luiz on a personal level and, "as a central defender, not at all".
    Luiz claims it was his decision to leave Stamford Bridge.
    "It was my choice, I'm thinking just my cycle (at Chelsea) had finished, I decided to move and then PSG showed me a nice plan for the moment and for the future and the moment they showed me this, I say this is the club I want to be next season, so that's why I chose PSG and I did wright because now I am so happy here," Luiz told Reuters in an interview on Thursday (October 23).
    "Chelsea offered me a new contract and it was my decision to leave Chelsea and I don't have one problem with Mourinho, I don't have any problem with him," Luiz added.
    At Qatar-owned PSG, who have repeatedly stated their ambition to win the Champions League sooner rather than later, Luiz also faces stiff competition in defence at least as tough as it would have been against John Terry and Gary Cahill at Chelsea.
    Even if compatriot Thiago Silva has been out for over two months with an injury, Luiz still had to fight for his place in central defence as fellow Brazilian Marquinhos as well as France's Zoumana Camara are also candidates.
    He has played seven league games -- as many as Marquinhos while Camara has featured in four matches.
    Just like at Chelsea, Luiz can also help out in the midfield.
    After his World Cup semi-final performance probably worried his future employers, Luiz says he put the embarrassment of the Germany game behind, and his displays have been encouraging.
    "It's the past, I think you learn with everything, we keep what we did well and you learn what you did bad, this is football now it is the new season, new things so you need to think this way because football never stops," Luiz said.
    Luiz is discovering the French Ligue 1, which is much less rated than the Premier League, where he spent three seasons.
    Should he miss the intensity, however, the Brazilian still can enjoy the thrills of the Champions League.
    He scored PSG's first goal in their 3-2 Group F win last month. Should it happen against Chelsea later in the competition, Luiz promised he would stay quiet.
    "Chelsea gave me a lot of good things and if I score (against Chelsea) I think I don't need to celebrate, of course I will be happy because I am helping my team, my team now is PSG but I don't need to celebrate because I was happy in Chelsea aswell and I respect the club, the fans and everyone," Luiz said.
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