Chelsea win Europa League final as injured John Terry lifts another trophy in full kit
Chelsea win Europa League final as injured John Terry lifts another trophy in full kit
Terry took
centre stage to collect another trophy in front of 10,000 delirious
Chelsea supporters at the 48,000-seater Amsterdam ArenA
Presentation: Lampard and Terry lift the trophy
Jamie McDonald
John Terry put on his kit to collect the Europa League trophy last night - even though he had not played in Chelsea’s thrilling win over Benfica.
In
a re-run of last year’s Champions League final, injured Terry changed
into the full strip to take part in the on-pitch official presentation.
Man-of-the-match
Branislav Ivanovic had secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over the
Portuguese giants with a towering stoppage time header.
Terry had
collected the Champions League trophy last year after a penalty
shoot-out over Bayern Munich despite taking no part in the game. Hilarious images of him appeared online showing
him gate crashing the royal wedding, at the moon-landing next to Neil
Armstrong, in the middle of the Tiannamen Square massacre, at the fall
of the Berlin Wall...and claiming credit for shooting Osama bin Laden.
But
that did not stop him stepping into the limelight again last night as
his team made history, the first English club to clinch the three main
European trophies - Champions League, European Cup Winners’ Cup and now
Europa League.
Fernando Torres put them 1-0 up on 59 minutes as he
ran clean through the Benfica defence from Petr Cech’s impressive long
throw to round the goal keeper and slot home.
A moment of madness
from defender Cesar Azpillcuetta saw him gift Benfica an equalising
penalty with a hand ball and Oscar Cardoza coolly slotted home on 67
minutes, before Ivanovic won the match for Chelsea. Celebrations: Ivanovic delighted at winning goal
Scott Heavey
Dressed in his full kit, as in Munich last year, and watched
by wife Toni, Terry walked up the arena steps and took centre stage at
the end of the match to collect another trophy in front of 10,000
delirious Chelsea supporters in the 48,000-seater Amsterdam ArenA.
He has played in 28 of Chelsea’s 67 games this season after falling out of favour with caretaker boss Rafa Benitez.
He had six appearances in the Europa league prior to the final.
Frank
Lampard, captain last night, defended Terry, saying: “It was the same
last year with John, you win it together and as captain of the club John
will be right up there. I don’t think it matters who picks up the
trophy as long as you win it.”
But some fans were not so sure. A
huge army of Blues descended on Amsterdam, with 10,000 travelling
without tickets to watching in the city’s cafes and bars.
Father
and son Stuart and Dean Bryant made an 18-hour journey from Bude in
Cornwall by bus, train and overnight coach to reach the Dutch capital at
10 am yesterday.
Builder Stuart, 50, who managed to get two
tickets for the game for 150 Euros (£128) from a tout, said: “It has
been a long journey to get here but it was worth it.
“I don’t
agree with John Terry lifting the trophy again, it is a disgrace really.
They should have just let Frank Lampard do it this time around.
“I
did not think he should have got the Champions League trophy because he
almost blew it for us in Barcelona when he got sent off.
“He is unfortunate in that he is injured this time - but I don’t honestly know why he is getting it.”
Student Jani Tavcar, 20, travelled 15 hours from Slovenia by car with six of his pals - and has not even got a ticket.
He joked: “I have been to Prague, Munich, now Amsterdam to see Chelsea.
“I
think the trophy should have just gone to Lampard, not Terry, it is
stupid giving it to him again when he is not even playing.”
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Christof Koepsel
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Chelsea celebrate their Europa League Final win
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Amsterdam Police spokesman Nabil Ouaissa said there were 37
arrests before the game, including at least seven Chelsea fans, after
fighting broke out shortly before kick off.
One cop suffered a head wound caused by flying bottles and glasses as rival fans battled in the back streets.
Defeat
was a bitter blow for Benfica and their coach Jorge Jesus, a man on a
personal mission to end the Eagles’ miserable run of 51 years without a
European trophy, which included six defeats in major finals before last
night.
Lampard, who is expected to be awarded a new contract after
becoming Chelsea’s record goal scorer, said: “It’s been an amazing time
for all of us involved.
"Talk about ups and downs in the last two
years! But this is a big up. We’re a group, a team, and it was tight
tonight after the long season we’ve had.
"The club deserve it. I really, really hope to be around next year.
"With
a game tonight and coming up we haven’t sat down and signed anything,
but I really hope so and things are looking good. The club have been
brilliant.”
Goalscorer Torres added: “It was a very tough game, and Benfica were much better in the first half.
"We really wanted to win this Europe League, and maybe this was going to be our only chance.”
Benitez, who till take charge of his final Chelsea game on Sunday, praised “the players and everyone involved.”
He added: “We didn’t have the legs in the first half, so we had to adapt. They players have worked so hard, all season.
"I am proud - it was not easy. I’m really pleased, really proud.”
Man of the match Ivanovic, celebrating with players on the pitch, said it was a great feeling to grab the winner.
Before going on a lap of honour with the team, he added:”We deserve that trophy.”
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