Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill expresses relief after 1-0 final victory over Manchester United
Chelsea captain Gary Cahill lifts the FA Cup following his team’s 1-0 win over Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
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Chelsea captain Gary Cahill said the Blues' FA Cup final triumph against Manchester United was a huge relief because it saved his side's troubled season.
Antonio Conte's team held on for a 1-0 win over United at Wembley as Eden Hazard's first-half penalty was followed by a determined defensive display from the Blues after the interval. Winning the FA Cup wasn't top of Chelsea's priority list at the start of the season, but Cahill conceded it was a welcome consolation a week after they failed to qualify for the Champions League following fifth-place finish in EPL.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard (right) celebrates with teammate Olivier Giroud after scoring off a penalty kick on Saturday. Pic/getty images
"Unbelievable. You can see what it means to us, to the fans and the staff. This was to save our season, we haven't had a magnificent season by any stretch," Cahill said. "We are used to winning, I'm not saying that in an arrogant way. We had a lot of defending to do, they pushed us until the end. We are buzzing. We got the job done. This a dream come true because it is my first trophy as club captain."
Although Chelsea have finished the season on a high note, it could still be the last game in charge for Conte. The Italian is reportedly set to leave after feuding with Chelsea's hierarchy over their failure to back his transfer plans following last season's Premier League title success.
Asked if the win against United would be dedicated to Conte, Cahill said: "We needed to win this for everybody, we are not in control of decisions." Hazard was the catalyst for Chelsea's eighth FA Cup victory as the Belgium playmaker produced a virtuoso performance capped by his 22nd-minute winner.
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