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Luiz says sorry for Reeves KO
DAVID LUIZ went into the Brentford dressing room to apologise to Jake Reeves after flattening the 19-year-old with a body check.
Luiz left Reeves concussed after laying out the Brentford substitute five minutes from time with a cynical challenge and the League One side had to finish yesterday’s FA Cup fourth-round replay with 10 men.
But after Chelsea had completed victory, the Brazilian – lucky to be only booked for the challenge – went to say sorry to a groggy Reeves.
Brentford manager Uwe Rosler said: “Jake was concussed. But Luiz came and spoke to him, which was a fantastic gesture. Jake is fine. He wanted to continue but our medical staff advised safety first.”
Luiz’s challenge was not the only one to raise eyebrows yesterday, with Gary Cahill’s bad tackle on Jonathan Douglas also lucky not to land the Chelsea defender with at least a yellow card.
Rosler added: “Rafa Benitez put out a very physical team – we didn’t expect that.”
Chelsea boss Benitez, who started with John Terry for only the third time in three months, denied having had a bust-up with his skipper.
He said: “John is fine. Having him back is good for competition.
“We have Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Luiz and him and they have to compete. He accepts that. We do not have a problem.”