"Son of a bit**" - Chelsea superstar hits out at Jude Bellingham for his crunching tackle on Reece James
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva slammed Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham from the Stamford Bridge sidelines after the midfielder's crunch tackle on Reece James. The Blues secured a 2-0 (2-1) aggregate win over BvB in the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Tuesday (7 March).
Silva missed the game through a knee injury and could miss up to six weeks. However, he still made his voice heard during a cagey affair between the two European sides.
The Brazilian was furious with Bellingham after seeing the English midfielder leave one on James with a dangerous tackle. He hurled an explosive rant in the Dortmund teenager's direction, calling for a red card due to the tackle.
Silva shouted out (via the Daily Mail):
"Son of a b****! Not my full-back for the love of God! Red card!"
The Brazilian defender's wife, Bella, filmed her partner's reaction on her Instagram story throughout the game and caught his tirade on tape. The duo watched Chelsea's superb victory from the executive box at Stamford Bridge.
Raheem Sterling opened the scoring in the 43rd minute with a ferocious strike. The Blues then took full control of the tie in a controversial five-minute period in the second half.
Dutch referee Danny Makkelie awarded Chelsea a penalty when Ben Chilwell's cross struck Marius Wolf on the arm. Dortmund players were enraged with the award of the spot-kick. Kai Havertz took the first attempt and hit the post with BvB scrambling the ball to safety.
However, Makkelie ordered a retake as he deemed BvB players to have encroached on the box during the initial penalty. Havertz stepped up again and put his effort in the same corner but with success this time. The Blues advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League and Silva was there to watch them march on.
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez impressed by James' performance against Dortmund
James had a typically superb game in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Dortmund. The Blues right-back made one key pass, completed one successful dribble, and made five interceptions. He has been a shining light in a miserable season at Stamford Bridge up until this point.
The English defender took to Instagram following the game, saying:
"11 out of 12 ain't bad... Welcome to Stamford Bridge."
Fernandez responded in the comments, stating:
"Top player."
James has made 17 appearances across competitions, scoring two goals and contributing as many assists. He has endured an injury-ridden campaign but has proven his worth when available.
Potter's side next face Leicester City at the King Power on Saturday (11 March). Blues fans will hope James carries his impressive form into the game.