"Truly blessed" – Defender knows he joined Chelsea at the right time

Emerson Palmieri reflects on his Chelsea career, where he won four major trophies including the Champions League and Europa League despite limited appearances.

Brazilian left-back Emerson Palmieri has spoken about his time at Chelsea, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to play during what he describes as a golden era at Stamford Bridge. Joining in August 2022, Palmieri made 71 appearances for the Blues, primarily as a squad option and backup to Marcos Alonso and Ben Chilwell, though he gained more playing time under Maurizio Sarri, notably starting the 2019 Europa League final victory over Arsenal.

Despite his limited role, Palmieri departed Chelsea having won four major trophies: the Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and FA Cup. He credited the club's strong infrastructure and world-class squad—including Eden Hazard, Willian, Pedro, Cesc Fàbregas, Jorginho, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, and N'Golo Kanté—for his success, noting that teammates helped him settle despite initially not speaking English.

Palmieri holds a unique record as the only Brazilian to have won the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. While he acknowledged the significance of these achievements, he said the reality has yet to fully sink in, adding that his focus remains on winning more trophies.