Chelsea captain Gary Cahill has admitted that his side viewed the FA Cup final as their chance to “save” their torrid season. The Blues ended their frustrating campaign on a high by claiming a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday.
The Red Devils were the favourites to win the game as their form throughout the season had been more consistent than that of their rivals. However, in a cagey affair, Chelsea’s player of the season Eden Hazard scored the only goal of the game, which came midway through the first half from the penalty spot. The Blues managed to withstand pressure from Jose Mourinho’s men throughout the second half and ended the season with a trophy.
Cahill was delighted to have ended the season with something to celebrate.
“You can see what it means to us, to the fans and to our staff,” the 32-year-old told reporters after the game. “This was to save our season. We’re used to winning. Not in an arrogant way but we have to win things.
“It’s difficult to win back-to-back leagues. I’m not saying we’ve had a magnificent season by any stretch. Listen, we needed to achieve this goal for everybody, no matter what happens in the future.”
Chelsea were largely underwhelming in the Champions League and failed spectacularly in their defence of the Premier League this season, ending up in fifth place.
It remains to be seen whether or not manager Antonio Conte will keep his job. Even though his side have finished the season with silverware, many pundits and fans still expect him to depart in the coming weeks.
