2 1 3 Filipe Luis deal completed Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Filipe Luis from Atletico Madrid. The Brazilian defender has signed a three-year contract and will wear the no.5 shirt. On signing, the 28-year-old said: This move is a dream come true for me. I now have the opportunity to play for Chelsea, and also in the Premier League. ‘I’m very happy and looking forward to getting started and giving my best for the team during the coming seasons.’ A solid, attack-minded left- back, Luis was an integral member of the Atletico Madrid side which won La Liga and reached the Champions League final last season. Having arrived in the Spanish capital from Deportivo La Coruna, he quickly established himself as a regular in the side, enjoying four seasons at the Vicente Calderon Stadium and acquiring four trophies along the way. Comfortable in possession, Luis reads the game exceptionally well and possesses the ability to deliver fantastic crosses from wide areas. Born in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina in Brazil in August 1985, his early career was spent with Brazilian club Figueirense before he spent a season on loan at Ajax in the Netherlands in 2004/05. Soon after he joined Real Madrid, with the majority of his time spent with the club’s B-team in the Spanish Second Division. With his performances for Real Madrid B catching the eye, he moved on loan to Deportivo who were in the top flight. His involvement was limited early on but during his second season at the club he established himself as first- choice left-back, which led to him signing a permanent deal in 2008. The 2008/09 campaign, his first as an official Deportivo player, saw Luis appear in all 38 league matches, as well as scoring two goals, against Atletico Madrid and Recreativo de Huelva. During the following campaign he was once again an ever-present during the first half of the campaign. However, in a game against Athletic Bilbao, having opened the scoring, he sustained an injury to his right fibula after opposing goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz fell and landed on his leg. Luis was expected to be out for a sustained period of time but returned to action earlier than anticipated after four months, able to play a part in the final game of the season. In the summer of 2010 he joined Atletico Madrid, making his debut against Real Zaragoza when he set up the only goal of the game for new Chelsea team-mate Diego Costa. Luis was a regular in his first season at the club and scored his maiden Atletico goal in a 3-0 win against Real Sociedad. The following season saw a managerial change midway through the campaign, with Diego Simeone replacing Gregorio Manzano, and Luis continued to flourish as the side secured a fifth-placed La Liga finish. It proved to be a season to remember for the club on the European stage as well as Atletico beat Spanish counterparts Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to win the Europa League. Luis played the full 90 minutes and missed just one game during the knockout stages of the competition. Their Europa League victory ensured they would play against Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, and Luis once again completed the whole game as they lifted the trophy. More silverware followed at the end of the 2012/13 season as Atletico came from behind to beat city rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, with Luis playing the whole game. He scored his only league goal of the season in a 5-0 win over Granada and, with the team going from strength to strength under Simeone, they finished third, securing Champions League qualification. His final season at Atletico will live long in the memory after they overcame Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to lift the title for the first time in 18 years. Atletico ended the season with the best defensive record in the top flight having conceded just 26 goals and Luis’s contribution to their success couldn’t be understated as he made 32 league appearances, including during the decisive final-day draw at the Camp Nou which secured the title. He was also a regular during their Champions League campaign, including both legs of the semi-final against Chelsea. His final game for Atletico was the Champions League final in Lisbon when they were beaten by Real Madrid. Luis made his Brazil debut in 2009 in a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela. He was part of the squad which won the Confederations Cup in 2013 and was placed on standby ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 17:58:39 +0000
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