DAVID LUIZ did not bat an eyelid when Enzo Maresca poured cold water on Chelsea’s title hopes.The Brazilian defender claimed club legend and Mr Ego Jose Mourinho would be saying exactly the same if he were in the Stamford Bridge dugout right now.David Luiz has heaped praise on Chelsea star Cole PalmerCredit: GettyTitle-winner Luiz reckons his tongue-out celebration is better than Palmer’s ‘cold’ oneCredit: GettyLuiz ranks Palmer alongside former Chelsea teammate Eden HazardCredit: GettyBut Luiz, who is desperate to manage in the Premier League one day, claims if anyone is to ignite a title challenge for the Blues next season, it will be “world class” Cole ‘Cold’ Palmer.Chelsea were second in the Premier League and just two points shy of pace-setters Liverpool when the boss played the safety card in mid-December.Yet his side has foundered since, winning only ONE of their last seven games and slipping to sixth.Some thought the Italian’s assessment smacked of a loser’s mentality and has contributed to their dip. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut Luiz, who won both the Champions League and Premier League in West London, told SunSport: “I don’t think it was a lack of ambition.“Enzo’s there every single day. He knows more than everybody Chelsea’s level. We cannot be here pointing at him and judging what he has to say.“He is just trying to be honest but, inside his head, there’s a lot of ambition and he wants to win titles.“It’s just that it’s not the right moment. Of course, Mourinho never said anything like that but he’d say the same at the moment.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS“Maresca is doing a great job, the team is starting to have a great philosophy to play football again. “And if they continue this way, soon Chelsea is going to come back and start to fight for titles again — next season they will challenge with Liverpool, City, Arsenal.Fan spot classy gesture from Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson to Man City newbie Abdukodir Khusanov after horror debutLuiz helped Chelsea win their first Champions League in 2012Credit: GettyHe then won the Europa League a year laterCredit: Getty“Chelsea chose the right young players with a lot of talent with great quality.”Samba star Luiz, 37, who now plays for Fortaleza in his homeland, made no mystery of how highly he rates Palmer.He compared him to Blues legend and former team-mate Eden Hazard and tipped the England star to be the driving force behind Chelsea’s return to glory.Luiz, who also played for Arsenal, said: “Cole, like Eden, is on another level, he’s a world-class player.“He took a tough decision to leave Man City and it was the right one for him.“Everybody can now see the amazing player that he is. I’m enjoying seeing him play.“He’s intelligent and intelligent players are difficult to defend.“He’d have played in my 2012 and 2017 teams — for world-class players there’s always a place.”Luiz’s final trophy at Chelsea was another Europa League in 2019Credit: GettyHe has just left Brazilian side Flamengo after four yearsCredit: GettyBut Luiz joked that Palmer’s shoulder- rubbing ‘cold’ celebration is no match for his own tongue-out celebration.He said: “Mine was better because you didn’t see it that much, while he’s scoring every single week!“In my time, Chelsea fans had to wait for up to ten or 20 games . . . so I go for mine!”Luiz’s star-studded Chelsea teams used to gun for glory every single season — but now the club’s main aim is to finish in the top four while looking to get their hands on the low-rent Conference League.Luiz said: “It’s a different period. Chelsea are in transition now while in my time the club was stabilised in every department and everything was in the right position, so it was easy to fight for the titles.“Each time a player arrived he was able to do everything in the short period and was ready to help the team.“Now it’s a totally different moment and it’s never easy when you change everything and restart a club.“There’s been a big change in Chelsea. When you change Roman Abramovich for another president, the ambitions change. “But the new owners are just trying to put everything in the right way, the club is heading in the right direction and, for sure, Chelsea will come back.”Luiz reckons Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo are showing their classCredit: GettyHe has leaped to the defence of misfiring striker Nicolas JacksonCredit: GettyThe ex-Paris Saint-Germain star has credited fellow South Americans Moises Caicedo, 23, and 24-year-old Enzo Fernandez for going from dead-men walking to finally living up to their multi-million price tags.He said: “I love a lot of players at Chelsea but in particular Caicedo. He has some amazing qualities, he’s powerful.“He didn’t start well but he had the personality to keep going, keep fighting and now he’s started to show his class.“Enzo is another top player, a world-class one. But sometimes when collective results are good, then everybody judges individual performances in a different way.“Enzo is fantastic and at Chelsea he has many examples to follow to continue to improve.”Luiz also leapt to the defence of Robert Sanchez and Nicolas Jackson, with the calamity pair enraging the Stamford Bridge faithful every now and then.He said: “In every club around the world always supporters are not going to be happy with two or three players. This is normal.“But I think Jackson and Sanchez are amazing players — and they will prove that to Chelsea fans and give good things soon.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Fans deserve amazing players who play well and I hope they can both repay their faith. “The moment that you sign for Chelsea, you already have the potential to be a great Premier League player.” More
