When Chelsea forked over £7 million to Marseille in August of 2012 for a young Spanish defender, nobody quite knew what to expect. Cesar Azpilicueta quickly settled into life in west London though. The versatile defender could play anywhere along the back line, a trait that is obviously seen as a positive to any manager. He established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet under numerous managers—most notably gaining the trust of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte—and earned the captain’s armband once John Terry retired. Technically, the captaincy was passed down to Gary Cahill at that point, but everybody knew it was Azpilicueta who was leading the squad with Cahill mostly taking up a spot on the bench.
Under Azpilicueta’s watchful eye, the Blues have captured a handful of trophies. He led Maurizio Sarri’s squad to a Europa League victory in 2019, which gave him his first taste of victory as the captain. Azpilicueta followed up that trophy win with Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup wins in 2021 and 2022, which brings us to the present day. The skipper has won every trophy possible during his time at Chelsea, many continental ones coming during his time as the captain. However, it seems as if he may not have the chance to win any more in SW6.
Have we seen the last of captain Cesar Azpilicueta in a Chelsea shirt?
There have been rumors connecting the dots between Azpilicueta and, you guessed it, Barcelona, all year long. The experienced Spanish international was identified as an option for Xavi at right back following Dani Alves’ exit at the beginning of the window. He is a player that the Blaugrana love, and it’s not hard to understand why that’s the case. Chelsea has been fighting to try and retain its leader, but Barcelona is offering Azpilicueta favorable terms that include a longer guaranteed contract and more playing time.
As the Blues look to secure the signing of Sevilla centerback Jules Kounde this week, talks of Azpilicueta’s departure have turned into shouts. The Catalan club is looking to get its business done before the season kicks off, and getting the veteran through the door would be a huge positive for Xavi. The belief around the industry is that since Kounde is capable of playing both right centerback and right back, Azpilicueta’s departure is directly related to the Frenchman’s addition. Chelsea looks to be close to an agreement with Sevilla, so it’s not farfetched to believe that the club captain could soon be on his way out the door.
Azpilicueta did not make the matchday squad in North Carolina for the Blues’ preseason exhibition game against Charlotte FC. Thomas Tuchel was quoted as saying it was a knock that left ‘Dave’ out of the team against the MLS side. This has raised questions about his status for Saturday’s London Derby in Orlando against Arsenal, which leads to an even bigger inquiry: have supporters already witnessed Azpilicueta’s last match in a Chelsea shirt?
After he’s spent a decade with the club, one can only hope that the answer is no. There have been some disappointing sendoffs for Blues legends over the years, but a 45-minute cameo against Club America in a preseason friendly from Las Vegas would almost surely take the cake for the worst. Although it likely won’t happen, Azpilicueta deserves a proper send-off—featuring a lengthy standing ovation—in front of 40,000+ at Stamford Bridge.
As kickoff against the Gunners inches closer, many will be left wondering whether Azpilicueta will make an appearance in the match. Of course, I believe I speak for many when I state that Chelsea would be making a mistake in letting Azpilicueta exit. The club needs to respect its skipper’s wishes at the end of the day though, so it may finally be time to say goodbye.
What is your favorite moment of Azpilicueta’s career in west London? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!