Willian is full of “memories and respect”, as he prepares to line up at Stamford Bridge for the first time as an opposition player.
The Brazilian made 339 appearances during seven years with Chelsea, winning five major trophies including two Premier League titles.
His time at Chelsea changed his life, and he spoke of his love for the club after he refused to celebrate his goal for Fulham in their 2-1 win in the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage last month.
Willian was an unused substitute when he returned to Stamford Bridge with Arsenal in 2021, but the 34-year-old is set to start tonight after starring for Fulham this season.
“I didn’t celebrate my goal against Chelsea because I was there for seven years,” Willian tells Standard Sport. “I have big, big respect for the fans and the people who work at the club.
“Chelsea was the best years of my career. I was completely happy there. I had great times and memories that last with me forever. Chelsea gave me a lot both on the pitch and outside the pitch.”
Fulham are benefiting from their faith in Willian, after bringing him back to the Premier League last summer when many felt his best days were behind him.
The winger had difficult spells at both Arsenal and back in Brazil with Corinthians, where his family received death threats.
But he has started for Fulham in their last 11 Premier League matches and been a vital player in the team sitting seventh in the table.
Seeing his family happy in London is helping him perform.
“To me, London is everything,” he says. “Me and my family love being Londoners, we are happy to be back and living in London. It is one of the best cities in the world.”
Willian’s contract with Fulham runs until the end of the season and he is due to have talks over a new deal.
“I’ve not yet had a conversation about staying one more year or whether to sign a new contract but I really enjoy my moment here,” he says. “I enjoy being here, I feel happy and let’s see at the end of the season.
“I will do the maximum I can in the best possible way to stay at the top level until maybe 37 or 38. I feel good now and I feel I can carry on for many years. I think people like me, Thiago [Silva] and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] show the next generation that it is possible to have a longer career.”
It was hardly a surprise when in-form Fulham beat a struggling Chelsea side last month. But since then the Blues have shown signs of improvement as they bid to revive their season.
“We won the last match,” says Willian. “It was special for the people that work in our club and our Fulham fans. We are above Chelsea at the moment but it doesn’t change our minds or mean anything to us. It will be another difficult game because they have great, talented players.
“We know they’ve had a difficult moment but it is Chelsea and they can deal with their situation, I am sure. We have to take care of our own game and focus on what we can achieve as a club.”
So can Fulham maintain their strong start and finish in the European spots under Marco Silva? “I believe we can do something great this season,” says Willian. “We have to believe in it as a team.”
