Given the way in which David Luiz was tackled by Sergio Aguero at the weekend and considering the short fuse on Luiz himself, many people were expecting an angry reaction from the Brazilian. As it turns out, that couldn't have been further from the truth.
Here's Nathaniel Chalobah coming to David Luiz's defense after Sergio Aguero's horror challenge on the Brazilian saw him sent off. #CFC pic.twitter.com/M37vazuaVR
— Chelsea GIFs (@ChelseaGIFs) December 3, 2016
Aguero's violent outburst has since led to the striker being handed a four-match ban, and, given the attitude we've come to expect from Luiz, it's fairly shocking that the defender isn't blaming good old Sergio whatsoever.
As reported by Metro, Luiz has gone so far as to defend Aguero with what some may see as a baffling statement: "Aguero is an amazing player, he scores a lot, he wins a lot. It is better when you talk about Aguero to talk about good things rather than bad things. It is quite normal frustration when you don’t win the game and I don’t like to speak about negative things. It is normal in football – when you win you be happy, when you lose you be sad."
Ironically enough, this isn't the first time Luiz and Aguero have come to blows either. Back in the 2013 FA Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Manchester City, Aguero was guilty of committing a horrendous two-footed tackle on the former PSG defender.
Sergio Aguero is making a habit of this. Photo: @RoyKeane_ | Twitter
Some may say that Luiz has matured over time, but perhaps this is a way for him to build up his reputation in the media. After all, the perceived image of the 29-year-old since he burst on the scene was that he was a tad cocky and needed to learn some humility.
Time for people to start taking David Luiz seriously. Masterclass defending from him.pic.twitter.com/RqaNRgTGkA
— Touchline Fracas (@touchlinefracas) December 5, 2016
It'll be hard for some people to accept, but that could be what we're seeing from good ol’ David. Either way, it's almost a certainty that we haven't heard the last from the burgeoning rivalry.
Luiz, who re-joined Chelsea in the summer, is expected to make a full recovery in time for the club's next game.
