Pat Nevin has applauded Chelsea’s captain Cesar Azpilicueta for his penalty trick during the Club World Cup final at the weekend.
The Blues beat Brazilian side Palmeiras 2-1 after extra-time in Saturday’s final, with Kai Havertz scoring a 117th minute penalty to clinch victory.
However, Azpilicueta was very clever in the build up to the winner.
The £150,000-a-week Blues defender grabbed the ball immediately after the award of the spot-kick. Subsequently, he received verbals from some Palmeiras player trying to distract him from a penalty. It was all just a ploy before he handed the ball over to Chelsea teammate Havertz to convert the penalty, though.
Nevin absolutely loved the “supreme intelligence” displayed by Azpilicueta, and suggests he completely fooled the opposition players.
“You just can’t ignore the Cesar Azpilicueta narrative this time. Having now bagged every title you could want in the club game, he has lost nothing of his ability or his enthusiasm, whether it is a run-of-the-mill league game or a prestigious final,” Nevin said.
“He is also not averse to using every single ounce of his experience to help himself, the team and any individual in blue around him. Maybe you have heard of a player taking the ball at a vital moment in the build-up to a penalty to relieve the pressure exerted on his team-mate, but I haven’t.
“It was a moment of supreme intelligence, psychological knowledge and selfless awareness. Every Palmeiras player and all of us watching fell for it hook, line and sinker. Only Kai Havertz seemed in on it, and he quietly allowed Azpi to take the sledging before calmly taking the ball himself at the last second.”
Iconic Chelsea status secure
Azpilicueta will never be forgotten as a Chelsea player after now winning it all.
He’s received bizarre criticism from Neil Warnock this week suggesting he’s not a good defender, but anyone who’s watched him over the last decade knows that’s miles from the truth.
The versatile defender continues to be a vital figure within Thomas Tuchel’s group.
Aged 32, he’s now a streetwise player with great experience to help this current side. For example, his penalty trick at the weekend was some great thinking in the moment.
It’s concerning that the Spaniard’s contract situation isn’t yet sorted, as his deal is due to expire in the summer.
If these are the last few months of “Dave’s” career at the Bridge, Chelsea supporters should enjoy every moment because he’s a special part of the club’s history.
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