Chelsea are heading into a European cup final without their strongest starting eleven and with a manager whose future is far from certain.
We’ve been here before, and we came out on top.
While winning the Europa League would not have anywhere near the significance as our Champions League triumph did in 2012, it’d be a brilliant way to end the season.
Maurizio Sarri ought to be confident of pulling it off, too, as there’s an omen which may well work in Chelsea’s favour as they face Arsenal tonight.
It’s Robbie Di Matteo’s birthday…
Happy birthday Robbie Di Matteo! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/Jx1cMJlzay
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2019
Di Matteo (somehow) structured a starting eleven with the players we had available, starting two centre-backs whose hamstrings were hanging by a thread.
Still, it was he and Chelsea who had their hands on the trophy by the end of the night.
Sarri will be without Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger, Callum Hudson-Odoi and potentially N’Golo Kante for tonight’s game. All would have likely started.
Sarri needs to harness the spirit of Di Matteo in 2012, and on his compatriots birthday, replicate something like his incredible feat from seven years ago.
