Chelsea soak up festivities in winning finale



Posted Monday, May 25, 2015 by ESPN

Chelsea soak up festivities in winning finale
There were celebrations all around at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in another Chelsea victory to cap 2014-15.

LONDON -- On a day of fitting gestures and a lot of cheers, Jose Mourinho knew something was needed to add an extra thrill to it all. Chelsea had to do what they've managed in 25 other games this season, and with the title itself. They had to finish as they started. They had to win.

"We didn't want to celebrate at least without a point," Mourinho said after his side's 3-1 victory over Sunderland, champagne glass finally in hand. "Lower tempo than normal, but the qualities of our football during the biggest part of the season were there, so it was good to see that dynamic. After that, the celebration was a celebration. Five years without that at Stamford Bridge, it was time for our supporters to feel that."

That was certainly the feel of the day. For all Mourinho talked about maintaining a certain competitiveness, this was really a carnival first, a going-away party second, and a football match third. Even the last element was taken over by the festivities.

That could be seen with a simple look at the image of the day, and the remarkable sight of a player being carried shoulder-high from the pitch by his teammates after just 28 minutes of a Premier League game. That was how Didier Drogba left the Stamford Bridge grass for the final time as a player, having announced earlier in the day that this would be his last game at Chelsea, as he seeks more football next season.

The tribute might have seemed disrespectful given the timing during the match, but there was really no disguising the type of day this was, and Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat certainly didn't think along those lines. He revealed Mourinho had told him about the decision before the game. The Portuguese explained all himself afterward.

"The substitution was decided because he had a problem with his knee and, in normal conditions, he could not play for long. We left him on for half an hour. The captaincy was John [Terry]'s desire, to give him the armband. The players to bring him off the pitch? I think that was decided between them because they like him a lot. I'm really happy because he was part of the other team [the 2004-05 champions], but he belongs also to this new Chelsea. For these players to know him, train with him, live with him, play with him, share with him is fantastic. He was very, very good for these young people: [Eden] Hazard, Willian, Oscar. They learned from a good example. His was a fantastic contribution this season."

The only oddity about the decision was that it came so swiftly after Steven Fletcher had surprisingly headed Sunderland in front. It reflected this new Chelsea, though, that they quickly rectified that. Juan Cuadrado went down in the box, and Drogba's replacement, Diego Costa, stepped up to drive home the penalty.

Cuadrado himself later went off injured, and it was his replacement, Loic Remy, who slid in the second and third goals to give Chelsea the win. It was all secondary to the main event -- the lifting of the Premier League trophy.

By the time Drogba came back onto the pitch, this time as a departed champion, the crown from the top of the Premier League trophy was placed on his head. It was symbolic, but it also wasn't the only significant exit. Petr Cech likely played his last game for Chelsea, too, although Mourinho insisted that is not yet certain, and the crowd repeatedly sang "We want you to stay".

"Not just the fans, I also want [him to stay]," Mourinho said. "I didn't sing it, but I keep saying the same. He's a legend of this club, but he's a legend at 33 -- 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend. One of our strengths this season was to have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. When Thibaut [Courtois] was injured, Petr made decisive saves in matches for us. I'm not sure if Petr was not here in these seven matches if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive. But we also have to be fair, and not emotional with our analysis, and say that Thibaut is an amazing goalkeeper who had a fantastic season for us. I feel a bit sorry for him today, but he's a big champion. A big contribution for us."

When asked when talks were planned with Cech, Mourinho responded: "I hope never. I hope never."

Of course, like Drogba, Cech is not just part of this team. He was also a key player in Mourinho's first Chelsea champions, from 2004-05, who did a lap of honour of the pitch before the game. It was just another joyful touch that ensured this was party more than a football match before the game even kicked off.

By the end of it, player-of-the-season Hazard was also sitting on top of teammates' shoulders, as the team had their official title-celebration photo taken with the trophy. Mourinho was at that point holding up eight fingers to signal all the leagues he's won, and wearing his latest model, but not for long. He later threw it his daughter in the crowd behind the Chelsea bench. Then, he was asked again about the past, and the future, and what this all meant.

"For me, to have here [on Sunday] the champions of 2004-05 and the champions of 2014-15 is an amazing feeling because I feel as if I belong to both. That team of 2005 is over, finished.

"I belong to two generations. To be back for the end of my team was hard. To see Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien leave, Didier Drogba leave, is hard. Very hard for me. But my job is Chelsea's future and Chelsea's future is this team that we've been working with in the last few years.

"It'd be a dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025. That would be fantastic, but my future doesn't matter. What matters is Chelsea's future."

They've certainly laid the right foundation. This was all about finishing with the right display, and not just in terms of play.



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