Cesar Azpilicueta says it “means everything” to lift his first trophy as Chelsea captain and admits emulating their 2012 Champions League win has fuelled him for nine years.
The Spain defender revealed equal parts relief and elation at lifting the Champions League trophy in Porto, as Chelsea sunk Manchester City 1-0 on Saturday night.
Kai Havertz’s sublime goal stunned favourites City at the Estadio do Dragao, as Chelsea added the 2021 European crown to their 2012 triumph.
Azpilicueta captained Chelsea to testing defeats in the European Super Cup and successive FA Cup finals – but admitted all that pain was worth enduring in order to land the club game’s biggest prize.
N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Antonio Rudiger, Reece James and Jorginho all excelled in a consummate team performance against the free-flowing City.
Azpilicueta admitted Chelsea harnessed the hurt of that 1-0 FA Cup loss to Leicester in preparing to face Champions League favourites City.
And the 31-year-old insisted the Blues had confounded all the critics who had questioned Chelsea’s capabilities as Frank Lampard’s managerial reign petered out in January.
“Losing a final of course it hurts a lot,” said Azpilicueta, who landed back at the club’s Cobham training base with the rest of the squad on Sunday, with Chelsea promising their fans would see the trophy soon.
“I wish we could have won both, but we didn’t and of course we took this energy and feeling into the Champions League final.
“We suffered 15 days ago what it means to lose a final, and it hurts. We never want to lose a final.
“A few months ago lots of people doubted the quality of this team, but we’ve created a special bond – and we did it.
“This win is for the whole group. Only a few of us were lucky to play. But the whole group was amazing, with their energy. I know how tough it can be to be left out of the team, especially with so much competition in the squad.
“But everybody ignored their ego, and put everything into the team. That’s the most satisfying thing about this victory.”
