"My God, this is the worst record in ten years," the football commentator lamented.
"Without Su Luo, we're completely out of sorts," the teammates echoed.
Everyone at Chelsea urgently hoped for Su Luo's return to stabilize morale.
It had been a month since core player Su Luo was injured and left the squad.
During that time, Chelsea's performance plummeted—not only falling out of the Premier League's top four, but also barely ranking third in their Champions League group, almost facing the embarrassment of early elimination.
"If this continues, our season will end in disaster," veteran player Cahill said in the locker room with deep concern.
Indeed, Su Luo's absence had a devastating impact on Chelsea.
As captain and core playmaker, he dictated the rhythm on the pitch and united the team off it.
Now, without Su Luo,
Chelsea was like loose sand—full of stars from different backgrounds, competing with one another, and often making mistakes during matches.
Especially Neymar—the new Brazilian star had a short temper.
Combined with his lingering injury, his performance dipped significantly, and his relationship with many teammates deteriorated.
In a recent league match, Neymar and winger Eden Hazard got into a heated argument over a missed attacking opportunity and nearly came to blows on the pitch.
"You selfish guy! You only care about showing off!" Hazard snapped.
"If I were selfish, I wouldn't pass to a glory hunter like you!" Neymar fired back.
Thankfully, their teammates quickly stepped in and broke up the fight before it escalated further. But the relationship between Neymar and Hazard was clearly on the rocks.
Moreover, Neymar had frequent disputes with other teammates, often arguing during training and matches.
The atmosphere within the team deteriorated rapidly.
"Neymar is still too immature. He needs Captain Su Luo to guide him," head coach Antonio Conte said helplessly.
Meanwhile, the defense was prone to mistakes, conceding far too many goals.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was nursing a hand injury, and his form had declined.
The team appeared disjointed, and morale was at an all-time low.
"We need Su Luo back as soon as possible to regroup and get back on track," said senior defender César Azpilicueta.
Just when Chelsea players and fans were losing hope, good news arrived—
Su Luo had recovered and would return to the squad ahead of schedule!
"I'm fit and ready to play," Su Luo told the club president.
"That's fantastic, Su Luo! Your return could save the season!" the president exclaimed with excitement.
The day after Su Luo rejoined the team, the mood in the locker room lifted dramatically.
"I'm back. Let's start over and climb back to the top," Su Luo declared, full of confidence.
"Yes, captain! Your return gives us hope!" his teammates responded in unison.
"I'll make things right and regain my form," Neymar also promised proactively.
Inspired by Su Luo's return, Chelsea reignited their fighting spirit.
They firmly believed the worst was behind them—and that glory lay ahead!
After more than a month of recovery and treatment, Chelsea captain Su Luo was finally fit to return—and his first game back would be a direct clash with their old rivals, Manchester United.
It was undoubtedly a massive test. The football world waited anxiously to see whether Su Luo could still perform at his peak after injury.
"Are you ready, Captain?" several teammates asked as they changed into their kits.
"I can't wait," Su Luo replied with a confident smile.
Coach Conte also gave words of encouragement:
"Your return will give everyone tremendous motivation."
"Yes. I will play my best and lead the team to victory," Su Luo promised firmly.
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