Chelsea's Willian was spotted holding back the tears at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon afterthe Brazilian international was overcome with emotion from scoring in the 4-2 win over Stoke City.
The 28-year-old's mother passed away around two months ago after a long battle with cancer and, after scoring the goal to put the Blues back in front, Willian used his shirt to dab his eyes dry in what is clearly an emotional time for the player.
Manager Antonio Conte was quoted bythe Sunafter the win, Chelsea's 13th on the trot, speaking about Willian's emotional struggles, "It's fantastic. I'm pleased for him. We all know the difficult period that Willy passed through. He played a really good game with and without the ball.
"He is a really good guy and deserves this above all because of the bad period he had. We tried to stay close to him, his team-mates and the club and me. But it's not easy for a person in this type of situation. I'm pleased he came through this period. He is a fantastic player but, above all, he is a fantastic man."
REVEALED: The reason Willian burst into tears after scoring for Chelsea today https://t.co/nspPGZxomm pic.twitter.com/Gnbcljz7dN
Chelsea are still six points clear at the top of the Premier League table and the hard fought victory over the Potters on New Year's Eve equalled Arsenal's record of 13 straight wins in a row.
The Blues, who are now favourites to take this season's title, will be hoping to register their 14th consecutive victory in their next game, although it will be some clash, with Conte needing to take his squad to face London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.