Filipe Luis admits he was thinking about Atletico Madrid throughout his season in the Premier League with Chelsea.
The left-back left Vicente Calderon for Stamford Bridge in summer 2014 but struggled to hold down a place and returned to Madrid a few months ago.
“I’m thrilled. I was thrilled to learn Atletico were interested in my return. Few players have that opportunity. It’s the best thing that could have happened,” he said in an interview with AS.
“Almost all the same players are here. The club has only gotten better and not a lot has changed. The feeling I had on the pitch, which is the most important, was as if I’d never left.
“I always really missed Atletico. I couldn’t let go. Maybe I should have forgotten but I couldn’t stop watching the games, talking to my teammates, sending them messages every time they scored a goal or made an assist.
“Diego Costa and I never lost our affection for Atletico. But Diego and Thibaut Courtois are fully adapted to life in London, because they played.
“I was coming to play 50 games or more and to have to share my position [with Cesar Azpilicueta] shocked me. It makes you less important but I made up for the games I missed with games for the Brazil team.
“It’s true I wasn’t as important at Chelsea. I never demanded that. What I wanted was to be a champion, because few people get that. I succeeded. But the happiness wasn’t there. It’s a significant difference.
“I talked to [Diego Simeone] a few times. He asked if I wanted to return and I told him I’d love to.
“It’s difficult to compare the Atleti that won the League to this one. That was something unmatched. Now there are a lot of new players. But maybe we’ll have more freshness at the end of the season.
“It’s important to have players like Juanfran, Gabi, Tiago, Diego Godin…they demonstrate so much. The young people learn from them, see an example in them, as with everything they’ve done they’ve not lost their hunger.”
