Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, but hopes to return down the line in another role.
Silva, who joined Chelsea as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the club and helped them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, will not be staying at Stamford Bridge for a fifth campaign.
In an emotional interview with the club's media channels, the Brazilian said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for one year and it ended up being four years.
"Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it's a source of great pride to be a member of the Chelsea family.
"I hope my sons can continue with their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of.
"I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"It's an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
However, Silva is set on returning to the club once his playing days are over.
He added: "That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end, I have to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.
"Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic, so there weren't any fans in the stadium, but through social media it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back, and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.
"So, it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it's even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue."
Silva has worked under a variety of managers during his time at Chelsea, including Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, who brought him to the club.
"The way in which I came here, with the support of the club, I got to be a leader of the club having arrived as the new guy," Silva continued.
"It's always difficult to integrate, but bit by bit, I became part of the group and Lampard played a big part in that, so I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva will be hoping to bid farewell to Chelsea on a high note by propelling them to European qualification.
FC Cincinnati v Atlanta United: Noonan demands in-form hosts stay humble
Pat Noonan will not let his FC Cincinnati team get too high following Saturday's memorable win over their rivals Columbus Crew, warning Atlanta United will offer them a stern test on Wednesday.
Cincinnati recorded a huge 2-1 road win over the MLS Cup holders last time out, with Kevin Kelsy and Luciano Acosta on target.
That victory – their fourth in a row – kept them three points behind Inter Miami at the Eastern Conference summit, but Noonan says any drop-off in midweek will be punished.
"The sign of a good team is when you have a poor performance or result, how do you respond to it and come back and have a better performance, or have a better result?" Noonan said.
"On the other side, when you have a good performance, how do you respond to that? Obviously, we have a short turnaround against a difficult opponent who we've just seen.
"If we don't turn it around the right way and if we're not prepared for Atlanta, we'll get humbled very quickly. Just like we can't get too low with bad performances, we can't get too high."
Atlanta, meanwhile, are 12 points behind Cincinnati in 10 th place, having been beaten 3-2 by D.C. United on Saturday.
They also lost 2-1 to Cincinnati when the sides last met in April, with two goals in two second-half minutes handing the Orange and Blue a comeback victory.
Asked what he would look to change ahead of Wednesday's rematch, boss Gonzalo Pineda said: "Simplify the message. It's about putting the players in a position to succeed, giving them tools, and the message that sometimes less is more."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Acosta has scored in four consecutive games, tied for the longest goalscoring streak in MLS play in Cincinnati's history.
He also had a four-game streak last June while Brandon Vazquez did so between July and August in 2022. Will he break new ground on Wednesday?
Atlanta United – Thiago Almada
Almada scored from the penalty spot against D.C. last time out, with one of his five shots in the game.
He has recorded five MLS games this year with at least five attempts at goal, with only Denis Bouanga (eight) and Lionel Messi (six) having more. He also netted his team's only goal when they last faced Cincinnati on April 20.
MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN
Atlanta are unbeaten in five all-time trips to Cincinnati in MLS, recording two wins and three draws there. Cincinnati are the only team the Five Stripes have visited more than twice without ever losing in MLS play.
However, Atlanta have only won two of their last 23 away games in all competitions (10 draws, 11 defeats) in a run dating back to late March 2023. No MLS team has fewer away wins in all competitions in that time.
Cincinnati have won their last four games and could set a new team record for successive victories here. With home advantage on their side, they are favourites to do so.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
FC Cincinnati: 45.4%
Atlanta United: 26.9%
Draw: 27.7%
Emery revels in 'special day' as Villa seal Champions League qualification
Unai Emery says Aston Villa have achieved their dream after qualification for next season's Champions League was secured.
Tottenham's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday left Ange Postecoglou's fifth-place side five points behind Villa, who subsequently sealed a fourth-place finish with a game to spare.
More importantly, the Villans are back in UEFA's premier club competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season, when they suffered European Cup quarter-final elimination to Juventus.
Additionally, the club secured their highest top-flight finish since the 1995-96 campaign, which they also ended in fourth place.
Emery, whose side reached this season's Europa Conference League semi-finals, now has his sights set on Europe's top prize next season, in which he is demanding even more from his players.
"It's a very special day," the Spaniard told Villa's official media channels. "It was our dream when we started the season to be here. To play Champions League is, after the Premier League, the best.
"You can play in the Premier League against the best teams in the world, it's very difficult. When you are playing in the Champions League, you are playing against the best teams, at the same time, from other countries. And it's amazing.
"We know the history of Aston Villa is so long and so successful. Even in the Champions League, we knew the responsibility was to try to increase our level, try to be demanding and to dream.
"I want to enjoy more and, next year, the new challenge starts for us. To build a team again, and be strong to go and always increase our level; this is our objective."
'The serve to win Wimbledon' - Guardiola admits Man City pressure heading into final day
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will feel pressure similar to "the serve to win Wimbledon" when they look to secure the Premier League title on the final day of the season.
The Citizens took a giant stride towards clinching a record-breaking fourth successive top-flight crown with a 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday.
Erling Haaland struck twice in the second half as City leapfrogged Arsenal to top spot, while moving two points clear of the Gunners with one match remaining.
Guardiola's side, who welcome West Ham to the Etihad Stadium on the final day, are red-hot favourites to seal the deal with a victory, with Opta predicting they have an 84.3 per cent chance of winning the league now.
But the Spaniard admits it is not a foregone conclusion and will not be plain sailing, and highlighted similar memorable examples of where City have had to really dig deep to get over the line.
"The tennis players say 'the serve to win Wimbledon', the last game is the most difficult one," he told BBC Sport. "We know what we're playing for. The tension is there."
"[The players] were playing for the consequences of the result [in the first half against Tottenham]," he told reporters in his news conference. "When you do that, you are going to lose the Premier League. You cannot perform to your level. They are human beings, I understand the pressure.
"Not even Arsenal played well against Manchester United [the Gunners' 1-0 win at Old Trafford]. They knew if they did not win there, they would not win the Premier League. It will be the same on Sunday for us against West Ham.
"We will feel the pressure. Look at Aston Villa a few seasons ago, 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go. Sergio Aguero against QPR, went to 93 minutes. It is normal. That is why we talk and say everyone has to relax, and do what they have to do. That is all."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
