Chelsea win Europa League: Key takeaways from the final
What's the story
Last night, Chelsea thrashed Arsenal 4-1 to win the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League in Baku. This was the second Europa honor for the London club. Interestingly, Chelsea's Maurizio Sarri won his maiden career trophy as a manager on an inspired night, where Eden Hazard struck twice for the Blues. Here are the key takeaways from the final of the European tournament.
Learning 1
Unai Emery needs to solve Arsenal's defensive woes
Arsenal lost it all in a space of 23 minutes during the second half. Their defensive line lost shape and panicked too easily. Last night's match had the same storyline that engulfed them the entire season. Manager Unai Emery's hopes of leading the side to Champions League football faded due to their defensive woes. He will have to bolster the defense with quality recruits.
Learning 2
Hazard signs off with a majestic display
Hazard, who is set to leave for Real Madrid, showed why the Spanish giants are paying a hefty sum to acquire him. The Belgian shines in the big games and he made the difference for Chelsea. He scored two goals and provided an assist to guide them to a win. It was a strong link-up display in the second-half and Hazard was the architect.
Learning 3
Sarri deserves the praise for this title
This was a big moment for Sarri. His debut season at Chelsea can now be considered a successful one. He helped them finish third in the Premier League and now winning an European trophy proves that Sarri-ball is not dead. There are doubts over his future though. "In my opinion, I deserve to stay at Chelsea but my opinion is not enough," said Sarri.
Information
Giroud shined throughout the Europa League campaign
Olivier Giroud was the stand out player for Chelsea this season in the Europa League. The former Arsenal striker finished off in style after being the highest-scorer in Europa this season. He scored a stunning goal and his understanding with Hazard was the key.
Twitter Post
Chelsea are the 2018-19 Europa League winners
🏆 Congratulations, Chelsea! 👏👏👏#UELfinal | @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/PoNBiRzw5X
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 29, 2019