Cesar Azpilicueta's Move to Atletico Madrid Leaves Mauricio Pochettino Deprived of Leadership.
When Cesar Azpilicueta joined Chelsea in 2012, he entered a locker room filled with legendary club figures.
‘When I arrived, I was fortunate to have JT and Lamps, as well as Ashley, Didier, and Petr, even though they didn’t don the armband,’ he recalled.
Eleven years later, he will leave Stamford Bridge and return to Atletico Madrid and his native Spain, having cemented his position in Chelsea lore alongside some of the illustrious names that greeted him. A complete collection of trophies, from the Carabao Cup to the World Club Cup, multiple positions played, and a rise from learning from some of the greatest leaders in the world to becoming a leader himself and captain of Chelsea.
At just £7 million, Azpilicueta has proven to be a bargain signing and is undoubtedly in the conversation for one of their best acquisitions based on value for money. As a result of his versatility, he was once considered one of the finest Premier League defenders.
Before returning to more familiar territory, he played as a right back for Marseille, replaced one of the all-time greats at left back in Ashley Cole, and was crucial as one of Antonio Conte’s successful back three central defenders.
As a former striker and right winger who switched positions to become a defender, Azpilicueta’s ability to move around the field with ease should have came as no sᴜrprise.
And he was so effective during his Chelsea tenure that Jose Mourinho once remarked, “Azpilicueta is the type of player I like a lot.” The Champions League would likely be won by a team with 11 Azpilicuetas because football is not just about raw talent.
He joined Chelsea in the summer following their 2012 Champions League victory, and nine years later he captained Chelsea to victory in Porto over Manchester City. Azpilicueta helped set standards as captain with his professionalism, work ethic, and consistency, and he spoke about the leadership principles he learned from the club’s marquee players when he first joined.
In 2018, he explained, “I always felt from their behavior on a daily basis that you could tell they were helping you.”
‘Oftentimes, they communicate solely with their gaze. They taught me what it meant to play for Chelsea, for the fans and the club as a whole; it is something that you immediately absorb and experience.
His influence and impact on the field may have waned in recent years, but he had become such an important senior figure that Chelsea’s owners wαnted to keep him on last summer despite interest from Barcelona. They wαnted to utilize his knowledge and have someone who could provide stability during a period of significant upheaval and change at Stamford Bridge.
In stark contrast to the milieu Azpilicueta encountered at Chelsea over a decade ago, his departure this summer will exacerbate the leadership void that will be left behind. As a result of the turnover in Chelsea’s roster over the past year, Mauricio Pochettino will not have as many established leaders and captaincy options to choose from as Chelsea once did.
Thiago Silva stands out but is not a long-term option, Kepa Arrizabalaga has worn the armband as a stand-in despite not being convinced between the posts, Ben Chilwell told Mail Sport that he feels he is becoming more of a leader within the group since returning from injᴜry, and Raheem Sterling has been a club and international captain.
Reece James has been pegged as a future Chelsea captain, while Frank Lampard praised the leadership qualities of January signing Enzo Fernandez during his caretaker tenure.
As the average age of Chelsea’s squad continues to decline, their next long-term commander may need to mature into the position. Azpilicueta demonstrated how to do so.
