David Luiz has been on the receiving end of a poor translation attempt, with multiple English language media outlets reporting that the defender was too afraid to return to Paris following Friday’s terrorist attacks in the capital, despite the defender having not
The story, first picked up by Gazetta World and then circulated by publications such as the Daily Mail, quoted Luiz as saying that he would rather not return to his club PSG following the attacks. The mistranslated quote, taken from an interview with press while he was on international duty with Brazil, reads: “I have my girlfriend and some family and friends in Paris. They were all very sad and scared. I don’t know what I’m going to do and whether I will head back [to Paris].
“Playing for PSG is my job but if it were up to me than I would not go back.”
However, David Luiz is now returning to France, with the quote that has been circulated having been revealed as inaccurate. The actual statement made by the defender [via Goal] is as follows: “It’s really very, very sad. I’m worried and still trying to understand what happened.
“Nothing is worse than seeing people losing lives. When I discovered [what happened] I immediately called to Paris. I have my girlfriend, family and friends there. They were all sad and scared.
“At this moment I don’t know what I’ll do, if I go there or if I will still stay here. I’m assimilating everything about this situation. It is sad to see another tragedy in the world.”
Luiz later returned to France, speaking to the press before he left for the airport, saying: “I’m going home, although concerned. I want to stay close to my girlfriend and friends that stayed in France. Unfortanately, I will have to live with this situation, because I will have to leave normally and work.”
