Today’s 2-1 triumph in the FA Cup semifinal over Southampton is a certainly a really nice moment for Chelsea, who have had a rough go of it in 2018. They’ve won just five of their 13 Premier League contests and been eliminated from both the League Cup and Champions League since the calendar flipped from 2017 to 2018.
“We gave everything, we played very good football especially in the second half and controlled the game,” star forward Eden Hazard told BBC Sport after the match.
“Now we go to the final and for the championship (Premier League) again and then we can think about the final against Manchester United.”
“Southampton have good players, really good, so we had to be aware every time they had the ball and when you can score the second to close the game you have to do it. We will enjoy the final now.”
That FA Cup final, when Eden Hazard and company take on United, will be May 19 at Wembley Stadium, in a battle between two clubs trying to secure their first and only trophy of the season. It was also be Jose Mourinho vs Antonio Conte III this season, an that’s something we all want a front row seat for.
The Blues’ chances of finishing in the top four and returning to Europe next season hang by a thread, with a fifth place finish looking extremely likely.
Hazard was asked if fifth place and the FA Cup title would constitute success, he responded: “No we want to finish in the top four and win the FA Cup that’s the target.”
This was the Belgian’s tone on Sunday. The previous day, before the big win, the 2015 PFA Player of the Year admitted the season has not turned out too well, and he assumed ownership of having contributed to the disappointing outcomes.
“It’s not been so good, no,” Eden Hazard added.
“I was injured at the start of the season and it was not easy to come back after that. ‘I then played the first two months of the season really well, but when the team needed me in the game against Barca in the Champions League I didn’t perform well.”
“I don’t think I have played well for the last two months. Yes I have scored some goals – that’s why I am on the pitch – but the thing I want most is for my team to win. ‘When we are not winning, I cannot be happy. We are fifth in the Premier League and we are out of the Champions League. We didn’t win the League Cup.”
“So it is a bad season. ‘I can score 50 goals – but that isn’t important. The most important thing in football is to win something for my team.’
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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