May 25, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Chelsea Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek takes a photo with a fan after being taken out of the game against the Manchester City during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Chelsea’s season is pretty much settled, they have a top-four spot clinched and nothing to play for really. If they win and Liverpool loses, they could move into second place in the final table. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was pleased with the season.
“There was an evolution in every competitive aspect,” Mourinho said, via ESPN FC. “Last year we were out of the title race by November, and when [Manchester] United were champions the distance was around 20 points. After that we reduced it a bit, but we were always a huge distance to the top of the table.
“This season, we fought until it was mathematically impossible, which was the previous game, two fixtures from the end of the championship, so a competitive aspect. We couldn’t go through the group phase of the Champions League in the previous season and we were relegated to the Europa League, and this season we went to the semifinals and fought — not until the last minute of the second leg, but we’d started that game in good conditions to reach the final.
“So from a competitive aspect it was an evolution. Some of the players had that experience of fighting for the title for the first time, and fighting for the Champions League, playing knockout phase, quarterfinal and semifinal. I think almost every young player had a step up in their formation. Not just ‘footballistically’ but also from their personality point of view.
“There was an evolution. It’s not the kind of season that Chelsea celebrates, because that’s Chelsea’s nature and my nature. We’re not jumping for finishing third in such a difficult Premier League, and qualifying for the Champions League group phase. We’re not jumping and celebrating, but we knew when the season started that was very, very possible this was going to happen.
“For some teams, the third position is something that people live with it in a happy way. We don’t. I don’t. That’s why, in this moment, we are thinking about next season and, while you go next week to turn your focus to the World Cup, we are turning ours now to the preparation for next season.”
Date: Sunday, May 11
Start Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
Location: Cardiff, United Kingdom
Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium
TV Info: CNBC
Online Radio Stream: Talk Sport Radio
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Here is your full television line up for Championship Sunday. NBC is using it’s full slate of channels so every game is televised somewhere.
Who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments below.