Victory gave Blues boss Maurizio Sarri the first trophy of his managerial career and ensured the Gunners will miss out on next season’s Champions League.

With only about 5,000 fans from both sides able to make it to Azerbaijan, there was an eerie atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, which appeared less than half full.

That was the surreal setting for a match played 2,500 miles away from both teams’ home, and the game itself was devoid of action before the break before bursting into life early in the second half.

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud broke the deadlock when he met Emerson’s clipped cross with a powerful near-post header that zipped past Petr Cech.

Cech, also facing his old side and playing the final match of his career, could do nothing about Chelsea’s second goal either, with Pedro sweeping home a Hazard cross.

Hazard made it 3-0 from the penalty spot soon after, sending Cech the wrong way after Ainsley Maitland-Niles fouled Giroud.

Substitute Alex Iwobi briefly gave Arsenal hope with a powerful first-time strike moments after coming on.

But Hazard quickly made sure of victory, playing a one-two with Giroud and firing home Chelsea’s fourth goal.

The Belgium forward said after the game it was likely to be his Chelsea “goodbye” as he continues to be linked to Real Madrid.

Hazard says goodbye with sparkling display

Chelsea’s triumph brought them their fifth European title, and their first since they won the Europa League in Amsterdam in 2013.

An emotional Sarri celebrated with his players on the pitch, but his future remains in doubt despite ending his first season at Stamford Bridge on a successful note.

Hazard’s departure appears rather more certain, and his performance ensured this game will be at least partly remembered for footballing reasons, after being overshadowed beforehand by politics, plus travel and ticketing issues.

The Chelsea fans who did make it to the game – via train, plane and even taxis – were rewarded by a typically effervescent display from a player who has sparkled for them over the past seven years.

Giroud deserves credit too, particularly for his finish for the opening goal that led to Arsenal’s collapse.

But it was Hazard who made the difference, as so often this season and in previous years.

If he does go, the question is who will replace him?

Cech signs off with painful defeat

While Sarri was able to end his troubled first season with a smile, Arsenal counterpart Unai Emery had to watch in horror as his hopes of leading his side back into the Champions League after a two-year absence disappeared in the space of 16 second-half minutes.

That was how long it took Chelsea to build an unassailable three-goal lead thanks to the kind of Arsenal defensive collapse that has been all too familiar this season.

Emery won this competition three times with Sevilla but this defeat is particularly painful as it will almost certainly significantly affect his summer spending.

The Gunners will be back in the Europa League again next season, but they will be without veteran goalkeeper Cech, who is set to retire at the age of 37.

This was not the fairytale ending his glittering career arguably deserved, but Arsenal’s capitulation was nothing to do with him.

There was little he could do with any of Chelsea’s goals from open play, let alone the penalty, and he actually helped to limit any further damage with some impressive late saves.

Man of the match – Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Match stats – Giroud & Pedro join elite clubs

• Chelsea won their fifth major Uefa European competition final, with only Liverpool winning more among English clubs (eight).
• Arsenal conceded four goals in a European match for the first time since a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich in March 2017 and were the first team to do so in a Uefa Cup/Europa League final since Middlesbrough lost 4-0 to Sevilla in 2006.
• Chelsea became the first team to win a major European title without losing a game (W12 D3) since Manchester United in the 2007-08 Champions League.
• Arsenal have now lost five of their six major Uefa finals, including their last four in a row (1995 Cup Winners’ Cup, 2000 Uefa Cup, 2006 Champions League, 2019 Europa League).
• Chelsea won 12 Europa League matches during 2018-19. Only one team have won more matches in a major Uefa European competition in one season (Atletico Madrid in 2011-12, 13 wins).
• Olivier Giroud became the first player to score 11 goals in major European competition for an English club since Alan Shearer in 2004-05 for Newcastle United.
• It is a record by a French player in a single European season, breaking the record held by Nestor Combin in 1963-64 (Cup Winners’ Cup) and Just Fontaine in 1958-59 (European Cup).
• Chelsea’s Pedro became the fifth player to score in a European Cup/Champions League and Uefa Cup/Europa League final, after Allan Simonsen, Dmitri Alenichev, Hernan Crespo and Steven Gerrard.
• In his final match, Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech conceded four goals in a match for only the third time in major European competition.
• Chelsea’s starting XI featured no Englishmen, the first time a team had started a major European final without a player from their home nation in their starting line-up since Inter Milan against Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final.
• Eden Hazard scored twice for Chelsea, becoming the first player to do so in the final of a major Uefa competition for an English club since Mark Hughes for Manchester United against Barcelona in the 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup.

Source: BBC Sports

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Hazard, who could have played his final game for the Blues at Stamford Bridge, converted after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had saved from both Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia.

Chelsea will now meet Arsenal in the final in Baku on 29 May and the result means both the Champions League and Europa League final will be played between English clubs this season – the first time all four finalists in Europe’s top two competitions have come from one nation.

With the score 1-1 after the first leg, Chelsea took the lead in the second when Ruben Loftus-Cheek coolly stroked into the far corner in the 28th minute, but the night was far from straight-forward.

Frankfurt levelled the tie four minutes after half-time when Luka Jovic slotted past Arrizabalaga after being played in by Mijat Gacinovic.

Jovic’s goal punished Chelsea for a sloppy start to the second half and the Blues continued to be wasteful as Stamford Bridge became increasingly restless.

In extra time the Germans twice had efforts cleared off the line with David Luiz first denying Sebastian Haller and then Davide Zappacosta clearing Haller again at a corner.

Chelsea thought they had won it late in extra time but Cesar Azpilicueta, who later missed first in the penalty shootout, had a goal ruled out when the referee deemed he had bundled the ball out of Frankfurt keeper Kevin Trapp’s hands.

Redemption for Arrizabalaga and Hazard’s perfect farewell?

The shootout was Chelsea’s first since they lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City on penalties in February.

That game was overshadowed by Arrizabalaga’s refusal to be substituted – manager Maurizio Sarri wanted to bring on substitute goalkeeper Willy Caballero for the shootout – but at Stamford Bridge the Spaniard proved to be the hero.

After Azpilicueta missed first, Arrizabalaga remarkably kept out Eintracht’s fourth penalty by trapping the ball under his shin as he stood still when Hinteregger went for power and then dived low to his right to palm away the visitors’ fifth.

That left Hazard with the opportunity to complete the win and the Belgian delivered – sending Trapp the wrong way, tucking the ball into the corner.

Hazard has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer and if he does depart the game will be his final at Stamford Bridge after seven years at the club.

There were no waves to the crowd or clear indications he will leave in the summer and when asked whether the final would be his last game for the club he said “in my mind I do not know yet”.

If he does leave in the summer it would be a fitting way for him to finish in west London.

Sarri to end difficult season on a high?

The win also means Chelsea have a final chance to earn silverware in Sarri’s first season in charge.

Like the campaign as a whole, the night was far from smooth for the Italian and had difficult moments.

He become increasingly frantic on the touchline as his side lost control of the game in the second half and his decision to remove goal scorer Loftus-Cheek when bringing on Ross Barkley late on was loudly booed by the Chelsea fans.

But for all of the season’s problems, including the Arrizabalaga affair and protests from fans against his style of play, Chelsea are quietly achieving their pre-season aims at the end of the season.

Last weekend they secured a top four finish and Champions League qualification through their league position and are now into their first European final since winning the Europa League in 2013.

Result harsh on impressive Eintracht

Had either of their efforts cleared off the line in extra time gone in, it would have been hard to argue Eintracht Frankfurt were not worthy finalists.

Over the two legs the German side, fancied by few at the start of the competition, had opportunities to seal a first European final since 1980.

Rather than sitting back after Jovic’s equaliser – the highly sought after 21-year-old’s 10th Europa League goal of the season – they continued to attack Chelsea in the second half and the tension around Stamford Bridge was clear.

Substitute Haller should have scored his first chance in extra time but failed to make proper contact with his volley, kicking the ball into the ground with his studs rather than side-footing into the net, and that allowed Luiz to clear.

The visitors were roared on by their vocal travelling support, some of whom were in tears at the end of the penalty shootout.

Despite the disappointment those fans chanted in support of their team long after the final whistle as the players and backroom staff emotionally came together and linked arms in front of the away end.

Man of the match – Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)

Chelsea’ home shootout run – the best stats

• Chelsea have won each of their last four penalty shootouts at Stamford Bridge, with this their first in European competition at home.
• This is the first time that all four places in the Champions League/European Cup and Europa League/UEFA Cup finals will be filled by one country.
• Chelsea have reached their first major European final since the 2013 Europa League, when they beat Benfica 2-1 under manager Rafael Benitez.
• Chelsea have never lost a home game against German opponents in all competitions (W7 D3).
• Eintracht Frankfurt have only lost one of their last nine away Europa League games (W5 D3). The German side have scored in all seven of their games on the road in the competition this season.
• Luka Jovic has scored 10 goals in the Europa League this season; no player has netted more (level with Olivier Giroud).
• Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has had a hand in 24 goals in 26 appearances at Stamford Bridge in 2018-19 (13 goals, 11 assists).
• Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been directly involved in nine goals in his last 14 appearances for Chelsea (4 goals, 5 assists); as many as in his previous 45 games for the Blues.

‘We got into trouble’ – Sarri reaction

Speaking to BT Sport, Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri said: “I think we played a very good first half and then we got into trouble after the break. We conceded a goal in 10 minutes of panic.

“We were better in the last part of the match but we were tired in extra time and it was difficult.

“We started with three injuries and picked up two more during the match after we lost Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, so it wasn’t easy but we are now in the final.”

Source: BBC Sports

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The Gunners are now one win away from Champions League qualification, while manager Unai Emery can make history by winning a record fourth Europa League crown.

Trailing 3-1 from the first leg in London, Kevin Gameiro’s close-range effort had given the hosts the early impetus.

However, Aubameyang’s right-foot volley from 20 yards levelled matters before Alexandre Lacazette put Arsenal ahead with a placed effort into the right corner.

Gameiro, a four-time winner of the competition at Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, tapped in Valencia’s second of the night before Aubameyang rounded off the scoring.

The Gabon forward slid in from Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cross and then blasted emphatically into the top corner late on to complete his hat-trick and a 4-2 win.

It means Arsenal, whose first away game of this Europa League campaign was in Azerbaijan against FK Qarabag, will return to the country to face Maurizio Sarri’s side in the final on Wednesday, 29 May (20:00 BST).

It will be the first all-English affair since Tottenham defeated Wolves over two legs in 1972, when the competition was known as the Uefa Cup – and the first time that all four finalists in Europe’s top two club competitions have come from one nation.

Aubameyang and Lacazette strike again

Barring an unlikely combination of final-day results in the Premier League – Arsenal need to win and Tottenham to lose, with the Gunners making up an eight-goal swing in goal difference – Arsenal’s Champions League hopes now rest on winning the Europa League.

Portugal, Ukraine, Belarus, France and Italy have been among the destinations that Emery’s side have visited, navigating 14 games to reach the final and while they have been unconvincing on occasions, this performance underlined their credentials as potential winners.

Emery, who has earned the tag “Mr Europa League” after winning the competition in 2014, 2015 and 2016 while in charge of Sevilla, was vindicated in his bold team selection.

The deployment of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Mesut Ozil all worked as they recovered from Gameiro’s early goal to overcome the intimidating atmosphere inside the Mestalla Stadium.

Ozil’s 92{15f500c9a3855fa3038cb9a33cf07c1aa2f670126538eb526e4034fc2e26063b} passing accuracy was better than any other Arsenal player when he departed just after the hour mark, while Aubameyang and strike partner Lacazette demonstrated their growing understanding.

Responsible for the Gunners’ first-leg lead, the duo again tormented their Spanish opponents throughout. Lacazette’s flick-on allowed Aubameyang to race clear and volley in their opening goal, before he swivelled on Lucas Torreira’s pass when scoring the visitors’ second.

Aubameyang’s two late goals brought up 48 goals between them this season, with no other Arsenal player contributing more than six. But Emery’s next task is to turn his club into winners in Europe.

While his remarkable record now stretches to 19 unbeaten Europa League knockout ties, Arsenal have lost their last three major European finals – the Champions League final to Barcelona in 2006, the Uefa Cup final to Galatasaray in 2000 and the Cup Winners’ Cup final to Real Zaragoza in 1995.

Spirited Valencia run out of ideas

While Valencia had enjoyed a good record against their opponents on the east coast of Spain, it had been 16 years since their last victory over Arsenal, which came in the Champions League.

That was success was heavily indebted to the aerial power of Norway forward John Carew, who scored twice in a 2-1 win.

And at time, the La Liga side may have wished for an alternative route to goal – particularly during the second period when Arsenal’s control of the tie appeared complete.

While Gameiro added to his impressive CV in the tournament with poacher’s efforts, taking his tally at the Mestalla to 11 goals in his last 12 starts, there was a predictability about Marcelino’s side, with which Arsenal’s three-man defence got to grips as the game wore on.

Portugal winger Goncalo Guedes, who carried much of their early threat was shackled by Maitland-Niles and eventually withdrawn, as was Rodrigo Moreno, the creator of both Valencia goals.

That left Gameiro without any supply and allowed Arsenal to capitalise at the other end of the pitch.

Man of the match – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

‘We can be proud of the whole club’ – what they said

Arsenal manager Unai Emery told BT Sport: “I am very proud of the players and the supporters. The players did all they could and we can be proud of the whole club.”

On his past success in this tournament: “The past is for experience and can be used in the present. It is very difficult to play in finals – we took our opportunity today which we are happy about.

“We knew we had to be calm after they scored and we needed to control our emotions. It is very difficult to score four goals against this team because they are very organised. It gave us confidence to score quickly, we know our strikers are taking chances.”

Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang told BT Sport: “We have learned from last season and this year we didn’t make the same mistakes. Now we are through to the final.”

On his relationship with Alexandre Lacazette: “We have talked a lot about our relationship and it is a pleasure to play with him, above all when you win games like this.”

Arsenal in seventh final – the stats

• Arsenal have qualified for their seventh European final (one Fairs Cup, three Cup Winners’ Cups, one Champions League, two Uefa Cup/Europa League), lifting the trophy on only two of the previous six occasions.
• Valencia lost for only the second time in their past 22 home games in all competitions (W15 D5).
• Arsenal won away at Spanish opposition for the first time in eight games (D2 L5), since a 1-0 win at Real Madrid in February 2006.
• Including finals, Arsenal manager Unai Emery has won his last 19 Europa League knockout ties, last being eliminated from the competition in the 2011-12 semi-finals with Valencia.
• Valencia’s Kevin Gameiro has been directly involved in 12 goals in his last 12 starts in home Europa League games, scoring 11 and providing an assist for the other one.
• Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has netted 29 goals in all competitions this season, a haul only Sergio Aguero (31) can better among Premier League players.
• Since his debut in August 2017, Alexandre Lacazette has been directly involved in 51 Arsenal goals in all competitions, more than any other player (36 goals, 15 assists).
• Excluding own goals, 11 of Arsenal’s last 12 Europa League goals have involved Lacazette and/or Aubameyang (four goals and one assist for Lacazette; six goals and two assists for Aubameyang).

What’s next?

Arsenal travel to Burnley in their final Premier League game on Sunday 12 May (15:00 BST) before they face Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday, 29 May (20:00 BST).

Source: BBC Sports

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