Former Chelsea defender David Luiz has revealed that he played the 2012 Champions League final with a torn hamstring.
The Brazilian, now 38, was speaking ahead of reentering the Champions League after seven years away, now representing Cypriot side Pafos.
He spent two spells with Chelsea and was central to the Blues’ against-all-odds triumph in Munich, completing the full 120 minutes and scoring an emphatic penalty in the shootout.
And he has now revealed that he played the full match with a torn hamstring.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Luiz said: “The final I was not supposed to play because of my hamstring injury. Not many people know about that.
“I went to the pitch, played 120 minutes, scored a penalty with a hamstring that still has today a big gap, the scar, a mark that I will never forget.”
Luiz admitted at the time that the injury flared up with just 20 minutes played, but he pushed through to complete the match.
He continued, explaining the win was made all the more memorable by the manner of Chelsea’s underdog victory, which saw them pull off unlikely wins over Napoli and Barcelona en route to the final.
Luiz explained: “For me, it was a special night not just because of the title, but because of how.
“Nobody expected us to be in that final, first. That year, everyone was expecting it to be Barcelona vs Madrid. We beat Barcelona, and Bayern beat Madrid.”
Pafos have been drawn against Chelsea in this season’s league phase, meaning the Brazilian will be making a long-awaited return to Stamford Bridge when the two sides meet in January.
He acknowledged it would be a challenging outing for the Mediterranean side, but admitted he was looking forward to the reunion.
"I'm going to play against Chelsea with my heart totally full of energy. Also, to say thank you for everybody. But also to give my best in the pitch because also everybody wants to see that. So it's going to be a moment where I'm going to be so happy.”
Chelsea open their Champions League campaign on Wednesday, returning to the scene of their greatest night as they visit Bayern Munich.
