"If we were somewhere else, they could throw rocks at us" - Thiago Silva warns Chelsea teammates ahead of Stamford Bridge exit
Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva has said that the club's struggles would continue if the players don't put their egos aside and put it in the favour of the team. He also acknowledged the support from the club's fans.
The Brazilian icon announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Stamford Bridge at the end of the season as a free agent. He joined the club from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, initially on a one-year contract but stayed with the west London club for four years. During his stint at Stamford Bridge, Silva won the UEFA Champions League, a trophy that had otherwise eluded him.
The 39-year-old announced that he will be rejoining Fluminense on a two-year deal following his exit. In a message to the team ahead of their final game of the season against Bournemouth on May 19, Sunday, the Brazilian said he "knows what it means to wear the Chelsea shirt".
The former PSG defender said that the fans have always supported the players. He added had the players been somewhere else, stones would've been pelted at them for their underwhelming performances.
Here's what he told Sky Sports:
"Thiago knows what it means to wear a Chelsea shirt, you know. And if I have a message to send to the boys that are here today, I hope they understand that everything they did to get to Chelsea has to be worth it."
"Because the season we’re having is not worthy of Chelsea. It’s not. And I think they have to do more next year, they need to do more. If you look at the games, the fans never left the team, never. We were in ninth place, eighth, right? And the fans were always there."
The centre-back added:
"They booed us off a little at the end of the match, but they’re always there in the stands, always with 40,000, 45,000. If we were somewhere else, they could throw rocks at us – we know that happens in our country."
"So these boys need to be aware that Chelsea has to fight for the top positions. If we take a little of our ego and put it in favour of the team, I think it will work. If we don’t do that, the situation will hardly change, unfortunately."
Thiago Silva has featured in 37 games across all competitions for the Blues this season and has even managed to net four goals.
Chelsea might play in the Europa League next season despite a harrowing season
The Blues up until very recently were having a harrowing season. However, things changed following a 0-5 mauling at the hands of Arsenal.
The Blues are undefeated in their last five games and have won four games in a row. Mauricio Pochettino's men defeated Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion after drawing against Aston Villa.
Pochettino's men will finish fifth should they defeat Bournemouth on the final matchday and if Tottenham Hotspur lose their game against Sheffield United due to superior goal difference. They will qualify for the Europa League if they finish sixth. However, they'll be demoted to the UEFA Europa Conference League if Manchester United defeat Manchester City in the final of the FA Cup on May 25.