Fab: We can rule Europe next season
special moment. It was a perfect performance. We believe when the new stadium opens its doors it will help the cub to achieve the last level. It will put the team and club at the last level in Europe.”
Defeat means United’s only way into the Champions League is to beat Ajax in the Europa League final. Manager Jose Mourinho said: “I don’t want to think about next season, I want to think about the final we have to play in.” P W D L F A PTS CHELSEA (C) 36 28 3 5 76 29 87 TOTTENHAM 36 24 8 4 73 24 80 LIVERPOOL 37 21 10 6 75 42 73 MAN CITY 36 21 9 6 72 38 72 ARSENAL 36 21 6 9 72 43 69 MAN UTD 36 17 14 5 52 29 65 EVERTON 37 17 10 10 61 41 61 WEST BROM 36 12 9 15 41 46 45 SOUTHAMPTON 36 12 9 15 41 47 45 BOURNEMOUTH 37 12 9 16 54 66 45 LEICESTER 36 12 7 17 46 56 43 WEST HAM 37 11 9 17 45 63 42 C PALACE 37 12 5 20 50 61 41 STOKE 37 10 11 16 40 56 41 BURNLEY 37 11 7 19 38 53 40 WATFORD 36 11 7 18 37 59 40 SWANSEA 37 11 5 21 43 69 38 HULL (R) 37 9 7 21 36 73 34 M’BROUGH (R) 37 5 13 19 27 50 28 SUNDERLAND (R) 36 6 6 24 28 62 24 CESC FABREGAS believes Chelsea can build on their Premier League triumph by winning the Champions League next year.
Chelsea can do the Double if they beat Fabregas’s old club Arsenal in the FA Cup final on Saturday week on what the Spaniard admits will be an emotional day for him.
But Fabregas, who has battled his way back into Antonio Conte’s team after being left on the bench for much of the season, has his eyes on the ultimate prize.
He said: “We feel we can do something in the Champions League. It will be very tough but we feel we can be strong next season. It will be a big target.
“Lately you see English teams are struggling in it. Six teams can win the Premier League. Then some of them will play Europa League, Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup.
“Other leagues don’t have these extra games, extra trophies and extra difficult games.
“You go to Burnley and it’s difficult. In Spain you go to other places and it’s not as difficult.
“But I’m sure we will strengthen.”
It will be some reception at Stamford Bridge tonight when Chelsea host Watford – and Fabregas said doing the Double would be the icing on the cake.
“Imagine that,” he said. “To do it in the first season after the problems we had last year would be fantastic.
“It will be an emotional final. It’s not as if I like to play Arsenal, because they are in my heart.
“But this is what we have to do. I have to put those feelings aside. You have to be professional. Of course it means a lot, it’s not an ordinary game for me. But it will be a tough game.
“I watch Arsenal. They are playing well, playing a different system and maybe not performing fantastically in this system. But they are defensively better. They are winning and that’s important for them.
“Their belief is higher. But our belief is high – hopefully we can hurt them.”
Fabregas, set to stay despite speculation about his future midway through the season, said of Conte: “The manager has made a big impact. He has been a good influence. He’s a winner. When he sees something is not going well, he tries to change it.
“In the beginning we saw many changes and maybe some of us were not used to it. But we now know exactly what he wants.
“This is the best league in the world. Maybe not the best players in the world, but it’s the most competitive and most difficult to win. Anyone can beat you.”
Watford manager Walter Mazzarri has a reason to spoil fellow Italian Conte’s title party tonight: he is battling to save his job.
Watford are desperate to stop the rot after a four-game losing sequence – and they have not scored on the road since January.
Mazzarri said: “I’m thankful that we are safe and Chelsea have won the Premier League.
“It means when we meet we can say hello to each other and enjoy the day.
“I like everything about Conte. He is a very good manager with a lot of character. But we have our own agenda.” CONTE: Adaptable