Chelsea have been handed a massive injury boost as veteran central defender Thiago Silva has returned to the team's training ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final showdown against Real Madrid on Wednesday (April 12).
Silva has been out of action since suffering a knee injury during the Blues' 2-0 defeat against Tottenham in February. The veteran defender has been one of the few players that has performed well for the west Londoners so far this campaign. In 31 matches, Silva has helped the Blues keep 10 cleansheets across competitions.
Thiago Silva's return to training should be a massive boost for Frank Lampard ahead of the Real Madrid showdown. The Blues enter the contest on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
Thiago Silva was signed by Frank Lampard in his first tenure as the Chelsea manager
Frank Lampard signed Thiago Silva for the Blues during his first season as Chelsea manager. The Brazilian central defender spoke highly of the legendary midfielder after his move.
After joining the west London-based side, Silva said (via Express):
"He understood exactly what I needed at this stage of my career, probably because he had made a similar move when he was also 36, from Chelsea to Manchester City."
Silva added:
"I didn't think twice when I heard Chelsea were interested in me – not only because of their history but also because Willian and David Luiz invariably spoke highly of them."
The veteran also said:
"Marina [Granovskaia, club director] called me after I'd agreed, then passed me on to Frank. It was through a translator because I still don't speak English and his accent was even tougher for me!"
Since his arrival in 2020, Silva has made 109 appearances for Chelsea. Whether him reuniting with Silva can turn the Blues' fortunes around remains to be seen.