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Eden Hazard scored twice in potentially his final game for Chelsea to help secure a 4-1 win over Arsenal in the Europa League final in Baku and end the Gunners' hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
Following a lacklustre first half, Olivier Giroud headed in the opener against his former side in the 49th minute before Pedro swept in from Hazard's cross on the hour mark.
Hazard - who is wanted by Real Madrid and who said immediately after the match he thinks this is "goodbye" - added a third from the penalty spot and then netted the fourth in the 72nd minute after Alex Iwobi had pulled a goal back for Arsenal with a fine long-range strike.
The Nigeria international came off the bench to score a consolation goal for the Gunners' as they bowed to Maurizio Sarri's men in Baku
After a goalless first half at the Olympic Stadium, the Blues started the second 45 minutes on a flying note with Olivier Giroud breaking the deadlock in the 49th minute before Pedro and Eden Hazard stretched the lead in the 60th and 65th-minute respectively.
With Unai Emery's side trailing 3-0, Iwobi was brought on for Lucas Torreira in the 67th minute. Two minutes later, he justified his introduction with a stunning effort from outside of the penalty area.
Though, there was no comeback as Hazard quickly compounded Arsenal's woes with his second goal of the night, coming in the 72nd minute.
Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in action for the entire duration of the match but could not find his finishing touch late on.
The defeat means Arsenal will play in the Uefa Europa League next season after finishing fifth in the English Premier League.
Following Arsenal's disappointing end to the season, Iwobi is expected to join Nigeria for their Africa Cup of Nations training camp in Asaba on June 2.
The Super Eagles will be aiming for their fourth Afcon title in Egypt next month. They have been paired against Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi in Group B.
Team News
N’Golo Kante was passed fit to start for Chelsea after being rated as “50-50” by Maurizio Sarri before the game due to a knee injury. Mateo Kovacic joined Kante in midfield while Olivier Giroud started up front.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper – and potential future Chelsea sporting director – Petr Cech started in goal for Arsenal ahead of Bernd Leno. Unai Emery went with a back three of Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis and Nacho Monreal while Danny Welbeck made the bench, having last appeared for Arsenal on November 8.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Kepa (6), Azpilicueta (7), Luiz (8), Christensen (8), Emerson (8), Jorginho (7), Kante (7), Kovacic (8), Pedro (8), Hazard (9), Giroud (8)
Subs: Willian (6), Barkley (5), Zappacosta (5)
Arsenal: Cech (5), Maitland-Niles (5), Sokratis (4), Koscielny (4), Monreal (4), Kolasinac (4), Torreira (5), Xhaka (5), Ozil (4), Aubameyang (5), Lacazette (5)
Subs: Iwobi (6), Guendouzi (5), Willock (5)
Man of the match: Eden Hazard
Opta Statistics
— Chelsea registered their fifth major European competition final victory, with only Liverpool winning more among English clubs (eight).
— Arsenal conceded four goals in a European match for the first time since a 1-5 loss to Bayern Munich in March 2017 and were the first team to do so in a UEFA Cup/Europa League final since Middlesbrough lost 4-0 to Sevilla in the 2006 UEFA Cup final.
— Chelsea became the first team to win a major European title without losing a game during the campaign (W12 D3 L0) since Manchester United won the Champions League in 2007-08 without losing a game.
— Arsenal have now lost five of their six major UEFA European finals, including each of their last four in a row (1995 Cup Winners' Cup, 2000 UEFA Cup, 2006 Champions League, 2019 Europa League).
— Olivier Giroud scored his 11th goal in the Europa League for Chelsea this season, becoming the first player to score 11 goals in major European competition for an English club since Alan Shearer scored 11 in 2004-05 for Newcastle United.
— Chelsea's Pedro became the fifth player to score in a European Cup/Champions League and UEFA Cup/Europa League final, after Allan Simonsen, Dmitri Alenichev, Hernan Crespo and Steven Gerrard.
— Olivier Giroud's 11 goals for Chelsea in major European competition is a record by a French player in a single European season, breaking the record held by Nestor Combin in 1963-64 (Cup Winners' Cup) and Just Fontaine in 1958-59 (European Cup).
— In his final match, Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech conceded four goals in a match for only the third time in major European competition, only conceding more in one game (five against Bayern Munich in November 2015).
Olivier Giroud and Pedro also score for Maurizio Sarri's side while Alex Iwobi nets consolation for Gunners
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| Chelsea teammates celebrate Europa league triumph |
Following a lacklustre first half, Olivier Giroud headed in the opener against his former side in the 49th minute before Pedro swept in from Hazard's cross on the hour mark.
Hazard - who is wanted by Real Madrid and who said immediately after the match he thinks this is "goodbye" - added a third from the penalty spot and then netted the fourth in the 72nd minute after Alex Iwobi had pulled a goal back for Arsenal with a fine long-range strike.
The Nigeria international came off the bench to score a consolation goal for the Gunners' as they bowed to Maurizio Sarri's men in Baku
After a goalless first half at the Olympic Stadium, the Blues started the second 45 minutes on a flying note with Olivier Giroud breaking the deadlock in the 49th minute before Pedro and Eden Hazard stretched the lead in the 60th and 65th-minute respectively.
With Unai Emery's side trailing 3-0, Iwobi was brought on for Lucas Torreira in the 67th minute. Two minutes later, he justified his introduction with a stunning effort from outside of the penalty area.
Though, there was no comeback as Hazard quickly compounded Arsenal's woes with his second goal of the night, coming in the 72nd minute.
Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in action for the entire duration of the match but could not find his finishing touch late on.
The defeat means Arsenal will play in the Uefa Europa League next season after finishing fifth in the English Premier League.
Following Arsenal's disappointing end to the season, Iwobi is expected to join Nigeria for their Africa Cup of Nations training camp in Asaba on June 2.
The Super Eagles will be aiming for their fourth Afcon title in Egypt next month. They have been paired against Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi in Group B.
Team News
N’Golo Kante was passed fit to start for Chelsea after being rated as “50-50” by Maurizio Sarri before the game due to a knee injury. Mateo Kovacic joined Kante in midfield while Olivier Giroud started up front.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper – and potential future Chelsea sporting director – Petr Cech started in goal for Arsenal ahead of Bernd Leno. Unai Emery went with a back three of Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis and Nacho Monreal while Danny Welbeck made the bench, having last appeared for Arsenal on November 8.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Kepa (6), Azpilicueta (7), Luiz (8), Christensen (8), Emerson (8), Jorginho (7), Kante (7), Kovacic (8), Pedro (8), Hazard (9), Giroud (8)
Subs: Willian (6), Barkley (5), Zappacosta (5)
Arsenal: Cech (5), Maitland-Niles (5), Sokratis (4), Koscielny (4), Monreal (4), Kolasinac (4), Torreira (5), Xhaka (5), Ozil (4), Aubameyang (5), Lacazette (5)
Subs: Iwobi (6), Guendouzi (5), Willock (5)
Man of the match: Eden Hazard
Opta Statistics
— Chelsea registered their fifth major European competition final victory, with only Liverpool winning more among English clubs (eight).
— Arsenal conceded four goals in a European match for the first time since a 1-5 loss to Bayern Munich in March 2017 and were the first team to do so in a UEFA Cup/Europa League final since Middlesbrough lost 4-0 to Sevilla in the 2006 UEFA Cup final.
— Chelsea became the first team to win a major European title without losing a game during the campaign (W12 D3 L0) since Manchester United won the Champions League in 2007-08 without losing a game.
— Arsenal have now lost five of their six major UEFA European finals, including each of their last four in a row (1995 Cup Winners' Cup, 2000 UEFA Cup, 2006 Champions League, 2019 Europa League).
— Olivier Giroud scored his 11th goal in the Europa League for Chelsea this season, becoming the first player to score 11 goals in major European competition for an English club since Alan Shearer scored 11 in 2004-05 for Newcastle United.
— Chelsea's Pedro became the fifth player to score in a European Cup/Champions League and UEFA Cup/Europa League final, after Allan Simonsen, Dmitri Alenichev, Hernan Crespo and Steven Gerrard.
— Olivier Giroud's 11 goals for Chelsea in major European competition is a record by a French player in a single European season, breaking the record held by Nestor Combin in 1963-64 (Cup Winners' Cup) and Just Fontaine in 1958-59 (European Cup).
— In his final match, Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech conceded four goals in a match for only the third time in major European competition, only conceding more in one game (five against Bayern Munich in November 2015).
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