Post date: May 02, 2013 11:33:22 PM
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez expresses his delight after a 5-2 aggregate win over FC Basel put his team into the Europa League final but he warns they face a difficult proposition for the trophy with Benfica a dangerous outfit.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 2, 2013) (REUTERS) - Chelsea's rollercoaster of a season could yet end with another night of European glory after they knocked FC Basel out of the semi-finals on Thursday (May 2) to set up a Europa League final against Benfica.
Goals from Fernando Torres, Victor Moses and David Luiz in a nine-minute spell early in the second half gave Chelsea a 3-1 second-leg win over the Swiss champions at Stamford Bridge for a 5-2 aggregate success.The reigning European champions, the first holders of the European Cup who failed to advance from the group stage of UEFA's elite club competition, could finish the campaign with the glorious consolation of lifting the Europa League trophy instead.
Interim coach Rafa Benitez, who has been unpopular with swathes of the Chelsea faithful after he replaced the sacked Champions League-winning coach Roberto Di Matteo in November, could leave the incoming manager with a trophy to admire.
That man looks increasingly likely to be former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho who dropped more hints about where he would like to be coaching next season after his Real Madrid team were knocked out of the Champions league semi-finals on Tuesday.
That place is Chelsea and there is no doubt the fans want him back.
As well as applauding their team's efforts on Thursday, they chanted Mourinho's name throughout the match which turned Chelsea's way after Basel went in at the break 1-0 ahead thanks to a goal scored by Mohamed Salah with the last kick of the half.
Basel, trailing 2-1 after losing at home in the first leg last Thursday, leveled on aggregate when Salah scored, curling his shot past Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.
The opening goal came after a period of Basel pressure and followed a near-miss from Marco Streller who volleyed narrowly wide after 26 minutes.
Chelsea equalised when Torres scored in the 50th minute, powering a rebound off goalkeeper Yann Sommer who failed to hold Lampard's shot.
Less than three minutes later, Moses took advantage of a lucky bounce off a Basel defender before Luiz, who scored for Chelsea in the first leg with the last kick of the game, made it 3-1 with a stunning goal that left Sommer totally stranded.
"(I am) really pleased for the players, for everybody here," said Benitez. "For the club - an opportunity. It will be tough because we know Benfica is a very, very dangerous team but at least we are there and I think that with the commitment and the quality we (have), we will have a chance for sure."
Frank Lampard, needing just one goal to equal Bobby Tambling's all-time club scoring record of 202 goals, fired against the post in the ninth minute, while Fabian Frei also rattled Chelsea's bar with a fierce shot midway through the second half.
But in the end Chelsea ran out convincing winners and will head into their fifth European final on May 15 in Amsterdam following their victories in the old European Cup Winners Cup in 1971 and 1998, and their two appearances in theChampions League final which ended in defeat in 2008 and victory last season.
"Of course it was very disappointing," said Basel coach Murat Yakin.
"I mean in the first half we played very well and I think we caused Chelsea several problems. In the second half, it just went too fast. We made a few mistakes, we were caught out cold but I would like to give compliments to my team, I think we gave a great performance."
The last team to reach the UEFA Cup / Europa League and Champions Leaguefinals in successive seasons was Porto in 2003 and 2004. The coach was Mourinho, although he achieved victory in the secondary competition before winning the Champions League the following year against Monaco.
Meanwhile Benitez said Chelsea skipper and fan favourite John Terry would not necessarily start in the Europa League final, despite the defender missing last year's Champions League victory through suspension.
"I don't know because we have too many games to play before, so the main thing for me is now to enjoy today and then be ready for the challenge of United and afterwards Tottenham so it is just one game at a time, and in this case it is even more important just to concentrate on one game," said Benitez.
Chelsea play Manchester United on Sunday (May 5), a game which could prove critical to their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
But despite the daunting nature of a trip to Old Trafford, Benitez was relishing the challenge.
"I think it is always important to play against good teams, top sides, top managers. So we will see. Hopefully we will do (well) but we know that it will be very difficult. But we have to see how we are tomorrow and then be ready for Sunday," he said.