Model captain
By the end of October, James had established himself in the right-back spot, limiting Azpilicueta’s playing time, particularly in the Premier League. There was no questioning his dedication, though, with manager and team-mates alike repeatedly highlighting his continued selfless influence in the squad, especially when helping James and the other younger members.
Key versatility
With the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as head coach in January, and his initial preference for experience while getting to know his new players, Azpilicueta was back in the starting line-up and showed how important he would be at both ends of the pitch in our new 3-4-3 system, when he charged forward from centre-back to score the first goal of the German’s reign, netting the opener in the 2-0 win over Burnley at the end of January.