The Premier League is the richest, bestest (not a word), fanciest, blingiest (also not a word), most-watched, most hyped domestic football competition in the world. It’s the Big League football league, it has all the best players and knows all the best words.
So why do its teams suck so hard when it comes to Europe? Why are three of its four participants already out of the Champions League before we’ve reached the quarterfinals?
Back when things were still astonishingly glorious at Leicester, before Claudio Ranieri could be found trying to choke out N’Golo Kante in his blue Chelsea shirt, Ranieri wrote an article for The Players’ Tribune where he made a prophesy that seemed to be, at the time, in jest.
Chelsea defeated West Ham on Monday to go 10 points clear at the top of the table with only 11 matches remaining. With Eden Hazard playing out of his goddamn mind, Diego Costa constantly threatening in every sense of the word and N’Golo Kante bossing things in front of the formidable pairing of David Luiz and Gary Cahill, the title race is over.
After appearing a shadow of his former self throughout the season, particularly over a wretched three-month period stretching from early December through late February when Wes Morgan outscored him by plundering a goal against Derby County, Riyad Mahrez sprang to life with a magical and all-important goal against Hull City on Saturday.
After twisting and turning at the top of the box, the Algerian scored his fourth goal of the Premier League season, lifting Leicester City five points clear of the relegation zone in the process.
Brazil will travel to Montevideo, Uruguay for a clash between the top two sides in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying without David Luiz, the Chelsea center half and captain of Brazil’s 7-1 capitulation to Germany once again omitted from Tite’s latest squad announcement.
Luiz has been in great form for club this season, helping Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table with a defense that’s allowed only 19 goals in 26 matches. However, Luiz hasn’t appeared for Brazil since last March, and Tite has ignored him since being placed in charge of the Seleção last June.
David Luiz is no stranger to being absolutely hilarious. He used to combine his nuance for comedy both on and off the pitch, but now that’s he’s strictly business in defense for Chelsea, we’ve been limited to moments like this one here.
Ouch! @DavidLuiz_4 v Chelsea TV... pic.twitter.com/nzujkatTtN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 17, 2017