A breathtaking atmosphere at Stamford Bridge would welcome Jose Mourinho and his men at the end of a triumphant campaign. PHOTO: AFP
There will be a party atmosphere at Stamford Bridge as the home crowd hail Mourinho and his players at the end of a triumphant campaign which saw the Blues crowned English champions for the first time since 2010.
Should they avoid defeat against a Sunderland side who secured their place in the top-flight status with a midweek draw at Arsenal, they will complete the season having lost just four games in all competitions, the lowest total since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 and beating Manchester United’s mark of five in 1999.
Mourinho insists he is unconcerned about the trappings of success, although he admits he will keep his title winners silverware this year after throwing his medal into the crowd after his second championship triumph with the club in 2006.
“The trophy, the silver piece, means less than the feeling. The reality is that the real feeling for me personally is when you do it,” said Mourinho. “The motivation for us is to be champions and for Sunderland not to be relegated.”
Wenger insists Cup final is no distraction for Arsenal
Arsene Wenger says the FA Cup final won’t distract Arsenal from ending their Premier League season on a high against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
Wenger’s side bring the curtain down on their league campaign at the Emirates Stadium with a third-place finish appearing all but assured.
Only an unlikely set of results will see them overhauled by fourth placed Manchester United, who trail the Gunners by three points with an inferior goal difference, on the final day.
But Arsenal manager Wenger is refusing to wrap his star players in cotton wool with less than a week to go before their Wembley showdown against Aston Villa.
“I think top-level competition is to focus on your next challenge and that’s what we do,” said Wenger. “We have enough experience in our dressing room to know that what is important is the next competition. It will be absolutely easy for us to focus.”
Defiant Pellegrini says second place isn’t failure for City
Manuel Pellegrini claims Manchester City’s second place finish in the Premier League does not represent a failure for the deposed champions.
City are guaranteed to end as runners-up behind champions Chelsea whatever their result in their last game of the season at home to Southampton on Sunday.
While City’s position would be gratefully accepted by many of their top-flight competitors, Pellegrini’s expensively-assembled side have won few plaudits this season after tamely surrendering the title and crashing out of the Champions League in the last 16.
Yet City manager Pellegrini struck a defiant note when asked to assess his team’s campaign.
And with UEFA president Michel Platini reportedly on the brink of relaxing Financial Fair Play regulations, the Chilean believes the new developments will help ensure City challenge at the top of the English game for years to come.
“I think all the rules about FFP must be clear and Platini saying he will make changes is because they have got some things wrong in the past,” said Pellegrini. “I think a club like ours, when you don’t have any debt, I don’t see why you have restrictions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2015.
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