Chelsea’s Champions League opener against Schalke saw left-back Filipe Luis given his first competitive start since a summer move from Atletico Madrid, and the results were positive.
Having arrived at the club this summer from Atletico Madrid for around £15.8 million, Chelsea left-back Filipe Luis got his first proper chance to impress the Stamford Bridge faithful in the club’s Champions League opener against Schalke.
The Brazilian international had had seen just eight minutes of competitive action prior to the match, with the fine form of fellow full-back Cesar Azpilicueta blocking his path to the starting XI, but he proceeded to show some clear signs of things to come over the course of the 90 minutes.
| Key Pass | Total Pass | Passing Accuracy | Touches | Unsuccessful Touch | Poss Lost All | Ball Recovery | Dispossessed | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filipe Luis | 1 | 52 | 87% | 80 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 90 |
Luis wasn’t quite spectacular on the night, but he was impressive enough, proving to be comfortable on the ball, while also demonstrating his passing prowess. He didn’t venture forward much with Eden Hazard in front of him, completing just one successful dribble and three crosses, but he did link up with the midfield well during a match in which Chelsea struggled to break down a resolute Schalke side.
| Total Tackle | Won Tackle | Duel Won | Duel Success | Total Clearance | Effective Clearance | Interception | Interception Won | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filipe Luis | 4 | 3 | 6 | 60% | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 90 |
Having formed part of La Liga’s meanest back-line of the 2013-14 campaign, conceding just 26 goals in 38 games, it’s largely no surprise that Luis was also solid in defence, with winger Sidney Sam’s pace giving him few troubles despite his lack of match practice.
He’s not a traditional Brazilian full-back who will irk is defensive responsibilities in order to bomb forward at the first chance, but, given how Jose Mourinho likes his sides to set up, that will no doubt work in his favour over the coming months.
At this point, Luis is unlikely to unseat Azpilicueta for the weekend’s clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, but it’s reassuring to know that there’s a more than capable replacement waiting in the wings should either injuries or poor form it.
Furthermore, during a season in which the club are looking to fight on all fronts, rotation will no doubt become a bigger part of Mourinho’s mantra as the fixtures start to pile up, and that added squad depth is what should prove the difference between the previous term’s third-place finish and a title-winning campaign.
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