David Luiz has revealed he has practised trying to stop Mario Gomez scoring in Saturday’s Champions League final – on a PlayStation. Chelsea defender Luiz was infamously accused by television pundit and new England coach Gary Neville of performing like he was being controlled by “a 10-year-old on a PlayStation” during a game earlier this season. But it has been the Brazil star who has been at the controls ahead of the biggest match of his life against Bayern Munich and their star striker Gomez. Asked if he had ever faced the Germany forward before, Luiz said: “Just on the PlayStation!” Luiz will be hoping his football simulator proves an accurate gauge of what to expect this weekend, having had no opportunity to practise defensive drills since injuring his hamstring a month ago. After returning to full training yesterday, he and centre-back partner Gary Cahill faced four days of cramming to get themselves ready for arguably the most daunting challenge they have ever faced. Gomez has scored 12 Champions League goals in 10 starts this season, 11 at the Allianz Arena, where Saturday’s final will be played. Luiz said: “In the Champions League final, it is always difficult. “The other team are very good and they deserve to play in the final with Chelsea. “It is the best game in the world and is being played in Munich. Bayern play at home and that makes it more difficult.” Providing Luiz and Cahill do not suffer any adverse reaction before the weekend, they will be asked to fill the void left by the suspended John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic. Luiz said of Chelsea’s banned stars: “For sure, they are important players – Ivanovic, John, Ramires, and (Raul) Meireles. “But my team-mates are very good players.” Luiz was just relieved to be in contention to play himself, adding: “This is the best game in the world for big teams and I am so happy to play this final. “All the players in the world want to play this game, and me too. “I want to play, I’m counting the days and the minutes. “I hope to finish the game with the Champions League.” Luiz, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for STG26.5 million ($A42,533,367)almost a year and a half ago, revealed his mother and father would travel to Munich to watch their son in action. “This season is so important for my career, for my life,” he said. “When I was a kid in Brazil, it was my dream and now I get my chance to play in the Champions League final. “Everyone will stop to watch the game. My father and my mother will come here to support the club and I’m happy to have my family here.” Chelsea are not alone in suffering defensive problems in the build-up to this weekend’s game, with Bayern having been thrashed 5-2 by Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s DFB-Pokal final. Luiz said: “I saw the game. I saw a very good team and a lot of very good players. “They will be more angry when they play against Chelsea.” Saturday will see the Blues not only attempt to join an elite of clubs to have won the European Cup but also try to stay among them next season after failing to finish in the Barclays Premier League top four. Luiz said of the extra pressure: “Chelsea is a big club – there is always pressure there. “First game of the season, the last game of the season, it’s always the same.” Whatever happens on Saturday, caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo is looking increasingly unlikely to be handed the reins full-time, despite masterminding a fairytale turnaround in the club’s fortunes in the last 10 weeks. Insisting he did not know what the future held for Di Matteo, who has been linked with Lazio, Luiz said: “He’s done so well for Chelsea, winning one cup and now in another final. “I’m so happy for him because he’s a very good person and very good coach.”
