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Sports1 posts

Chelsea secure Champions League spot despite Villa defeat

Chelsea qualified for next season's Champions League on Sunday, notwithstanding a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa as Leicester's misfortune against Tottenham saved the Blues' central four spots in an exciting finish to the Premier League season. 

Thomas Tuchel's side was 14 minutes from passing up a primary four completion when they followed at Villa Park while Liverpool and Leicester were winning. 

Bertrand Traore put Villa ahead in the primary half before the previous Chelsea winger won a punishment that Anwar El Ghazi changed. 

Ben Chilwell got one back for Chelsea, yet at that stage, the Blues were all the while taking off of the best four. 

An objective from Leicester manager Kasper Schmeichel was trailed by two late Gareth Bale strikes, sentencing the Foxes to a 4-2 misfortune as Chelsea got an incredible blessing from unpleasant London rivals Tottenham. 

That Harry Kane, connected with a nearby season move to Chelsea after pronouncing his longing to stop Tottenham, was likewise on the scoresheet at the King Power Stadium was an additional layer of incongruity. 

Chelsea chief Cesar Azpilicueta was shipped off at the last moment after conflicting with Jack Grealish. 

Be that as it may, the Blues completed one point above fifth-set Leicester, outlining the thin edges at play in a throbbing end to the primary four race. 

It was an enormous break for Chelsea as they appreciated a critical proportion of retribution for their FA Cup last loss against the Foxes a weekend ago. 

They would now be able to focus on Saturday's Champions League last against Manchester City without the additional pressing factor of realizing they need to win in Porto to fit the bill for next season's competition. 

Yet, Tuchel has a lot of work to do to get Chelsea fit as a fiddle for their first Champions League show-stopper since 2012 after they were beaten for the third time in their last four games in all rivalries.

Adding to Tuchel's issues, Edouard Mendy might be uncertain for the last after Chelsea's guardian couldn't play the subsequent half, having slammed into the woodwork in a bombed endeavor to keep out Traore's objective. 

The help 

By and by, Timo Werner couldn't give a flash in advance, and the Chelsea striker ought to have shown improvement overhead across objectives from Azpilicueta's scaled back in the beginning phases. 

Bricklayer Mount deservedly won Chelsea's player of the year grant after an amazing season. 

In any case, the England midfielder squandered a brilliant chance to open the scoring when he burst over from Azpilicueta's cross. 

Chelsea was made to pay for their wickedness when Villa started to lead the pack with a short corner routine in the 43rd moment. 

Traore made an impeccably coordinated hurry to meet Matt Targett's low conveyance, and, with Chelsea's protectors looking somewhere else, the plain winger hit a scraped shot that circled into the top corner using the crossbar. 

Tuchel had said he would not verify how Liverpool and Leicester were faring until half-time. 

When Tuchel got back to the changing area at the break, Liverpool won 1-0, while Leicester was level at 1-1, keeping Chelsea in the main four by then. 

However, the news immediately separated through that Jamie Vardy had put Leicester ahead from the get-go in the subsequent half, leaving Chelsea in danger. 

Although that wasn't sufficiently awful, Jorginho yielded a 52nd-moment punishment when he got Traore on foot. 

VAR checked on the occurrence; however, there was no relief for shell-stunned Chelsea as El Ghazi stroked home the spot-kick. 

Chilwell gave Chelsea a hint of something to look forward to when the left-back met Christian Pulisic's cross with a short proximity finish in the 70th moment. 

That set up for a surprising finale as the center went to the King Power, Tottenham's late objective binge started blissful cheers from the Chelsea seat and a mitigated grin from Tuchel.

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