Sunderland 3-1

Independent:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1
Loic Remy and Diego Costa on target as Champions battle back from a goal down to win
 
Jack Pitt-Brooke  

This was an all-afternoon party with a football match thrown in, as Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions for the fourth time and gave one of their greats a historic send-off. Chelsea, not that it mattered, beat Sunderland 3-1 but took a few minutes out of the first half to say goodbye to Didier Drogba.

This was the last hurrah for Drogba, who announced before the game that he is leaving, at 37 years old, to find more first-team football in the final seasons of his career. He started, was captain – the idea of John Terry – and was roared on to the pitch.
Drogba played for 28 uneventful minutes before his choreographed exit, without precedent in modern sport. When the boards went up, showing Diego Costa was to come on, Drogba embraced his team-mates before they carried him on their shoulders off the pitch. Drogba, from his perch, waved goodbye to the whole stadium, his final farewell.
The Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, ran his plans past his Sunderland counterpart, Dick Advocaat, beforehand and was delighted by the send-off his players gave Drogba. “The players decided between them because they like him a lot,” he said. “I’m really happy because he was part of the other team, but he belongs also to this new Chelsea.”
That, in brief, was the theme of the afternoon, the final handover from the first champion Mourinho team here to the second. Eight members of that first side – Alexei Smertin, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Claude Makelele, William Gallas, Carlo Cudicini and Geremi – were paraded before kick-off, 10 years on from that first title which set up everything which has followed.
 Didier Drogba was carried off the field by his team-mates in his final ever game for Chelsea 
Drogba, of course, is not the only link from that side to this. Petr Cech has also been a feature of both, and he too was rewarded with a start and with the adulation of the crowd. His future, though, is less clear. Cech, like Drogba, wants to play more first-team football and he still has one year left on his contract. Mourinho would love to keep him at Stamford Bridge but admitted it is not entirely in his hands.
“He is a legend of this club,” Mourinho said, “and one of our strengths this season was to have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. It is no problem to have both. But I am not in control of Petr’s decision.”
If Cech does leave there will only be John Terry and Mourinho of the 2004-05 team left, and Mourinho spoke quite touchingly about the transition between generations. “To have the champions of 2005 and the champions of 2015 here is an amazing feeling because I feel as if I belong to both,” he said. “That team of 2005 is over, finished. To be back for the end of that team was hard, but my job is Chelsea’s future. It would be my dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025.”
Who knows what will happen in 10 years’ time? But when Mourinho challenged these players to “win on a regular basis” it had an ominous ring.
 Loic Remy celebrates his second goal of the afternoon 
The match itself was beside the point – Sunderland had secured safety from relegation on Wednesday – but they took a surprise lead when Steven Fletcher headed in Adam Johnson’s corner. Costa equalised from the spot – the perfect end to his season – before Loïc Rémy scored twice at the end to win the match.
Advocaat could relax, having masterminded safety, and he admitted afterwards he would decide next week whether to sign the two-year deal Sunderland have offered him to stay in charge. He can leave with his head held high, and he is not the only one.

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Guardian:

Champions Chelsea ensure Drogba’s goodbye against Sunderland ends well
Chelsea 3 - 1 Sunderland

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

It was at 5.12pm when John Terry, the departing Didier Drogba at his side and team-mates coiled to spring at his back, finally hoisted the Premier League trophy. The title had already been theirs for three weeks, although Chelsea’s superiority over allcomers had actually been established during that searing start last autumn and was only fleetingly challenged by Manchester City at the turn of the year. Chelsea have been top for 274 days, the only club of the 92 to remain unbeaten at home. Theirs has been a campaign of utter dominance.
The achievement was rightly celebrated with gusto; players and staff parading with their families amid the ticker-tape as Madness blared out over the public address system and those from the Shed End to the Matthew Harding stand bounced in glee. José Mourinho flung his winner’s medal to his daughter, Matilde, and offered eight fingers to the cameras, the tally of league titles he has secured at four clubs and as many countries. Drogba, crowned by the lid of the trophy, took the microphone and made a point of mentioning the absent Frank Lampard, a scorer for Manchester City on his final appearance in English football at the distant Etihad.
Perhaps all the pomp and circumstance would have been more suited for the immediate aftermath of that victory over Crystal Palace on 3 May, when the title was sealed. At least the joyous delirium gave Drogba and, most likely, Petr Cech fitting sendoffs after glittering careers in these parts. The Ivorian, as befits a player of his charisma, managed to hog the limelight in a last-day win of which he played barely 28 minutes. Chelsea’s captain for the day had been retired from the fray just after Sunderland had taken the lead, the home players propping him on their shoulders – Branislav Ivanovic, Mikel John Obi and Juan Cuadrado took the brunt – and chairlifting him from the field.
It took two minutes for Drogba to depart, the entire coaching staff and the sporting director, Michael Emenalo, waiting on the touchline to clap hands with the striker. The theatre had been pre-arranged, and cleared with Sunderland’s Dick Advocaat before kick-off. It gave the occasion the feel of a testimonial, although some players warrant such adulation.
“He was part of the ‘other’ team,” said Mourinho, a reference to the 2005 Premier League title winners, eight of whose number had joined Cech, Drogba and John Terry on the pitch before kick-off to mark that achievement a decade on. “But he also belongs to this new Chelsea. For these players to know him, train with him, live with him, play with him, share with him is fantastic. He was very, very good for these young people. They learned from a good example.”
His replacement, Diego Costa, duly hauled the hosts level by scoring his 20th league goal of an impressive first campaign in English football from the penalty spot after John O’Shea tripped Cuadrado. Another substitute, Loïc Rémy, scored twice after the interval to ensure the third highest points tally in this club’s history, even if it was Drogba, returning to the pitch post-match, who claimed the match ball as his own. No one was denying him that.
For Cech, an awkward decision awaits. He may already have determined that the time is right to move on, 11 years since he arrived in south-west London, after a frustrating season largely spent playing understudy to Thibaut Courtois. The crowd made clear their desire for him to stay, rejoicing in his denials of Sebastian Larsson, Connor Wickham and Jermain Defoe, even if Steven Fletcher had been able to nod the visitors ahead, having been untracked at a corner beyond the far post.
“He’s a legend of this club but he’s a legend at 33,” Mourinho said of Cech. “And 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend. I’m not sure, if Petr was not here to make decisive saves in the seven [league] matches he played, if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.” He set Cech’s current team-mates the challenge to secure trophies such as this “on a regular basis”. “This team is just at the beginning,” he added. “It won the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. They have to win more to be better than the side of 2005.”
Sunderland, too, have issues to address. Advocaat’s achievement in staving off relegation was impressive and there is a clamour for him to stay on and instigate the overhaul of the playing staff the Dutchman admitted was necessary. “It’s not up to me because they offered me already two or three years,” he said. “But I have to be honest to myself and to everybody what I will do for the future.”
He will make a decision, in conversation with the sporting director, Lee Congerton, this week at about the same time as Chelsea depart for Thailand and Australia for a post-season tour. The celebrations, to be continued in Monday’s parade through the borough, will be protracted.

Man of the match Loïc Rémy (Chelsea)

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1: Blues collect Premier League trophy as Didier Drogba and Petr Cech bid farewell

By  Matt Law, at Stamford Bridge

Jose Mourinho displayed eight fingers for his eight career titles before placing the Premier League crown on the head of Didier Drogba as Chelsea celebrated their title success.
Manager Mourinho wants this season’s Premier League trophy to be the start of a new glorious era for him and Chelsea, but it also marks the end of an era for Drogba and most probably Petr Cech.
Drogba was handed the captaincy for the day and was carried off the pitch by his Chelsea team-mates to a standing ovation from fans and the club’s staff in the 30th minute of the victory over Sunderland in a staged tribute to the striker.
One suspects this was also a final Stamford Bridge farewell for goalkeeper Cech, who stood arm-in-arm for ‘selfies’ with Drogba as Chelsea’s players partied on the pitch.
As 37-year-old Drogba posed wearing the top of the Premier League trophy on his head, he conducted the celebrations of the younger players - just as he acted as mentor for the likes of Player of the Year Eden Hazard during the season.
“The substitution of Didier was decided because he had a problem with his knee and, in normal conditions, he could not play for long,” said Mourinho.
“We left him on for half an hour. The captaincy was John’s desire.
“The players to bring him off the pitch? I think that was decided between them because they like him a lot. I’m really happy because he was part of the other [2004/05] team, but he belongs also to this new Chelsea. He was very, very good for these young people - Hazard, Willian, Oscar. They learned from a good example. His was a fantastic contribution this season.” Mourinho refused to accept that this was Cech’s last Chelsea game, insisting the 33-year-old is a “young” legend. Blues fans made their feelings clear by singing “we want you stay.”
“Not just the fans, I also want him to stay,” said Mourinho. “I didn’t sing it, but I keep saying the same. He’s a legend of this club, but he’s a legend at 33. The age of 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend.
“One of our strengths this season was to have the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League. When Thibaut (Courtois) was injured, Petr made decisive saves in matches for us. I’m not sure if Petr was not here in these seven matches if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.” Asked when talks over Cech’s future will happen, Mourinho added: “I hope never. I hope never, but I don’t know.” Chelsea were one goal down when Drogba was carried off on the shoulders of his team-mates. Adam Johnson’s inswinging corner was headed past Cech at the back post by Steven Fletcher, whose goal was his first for Sunderland since November 3.
But just six minutes after replacing Drogba, Diego Costa netted his 20th Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot after Juan Cuadrado had been brought down by John O’Shea.
Cuadrado had to be replaced by Loïc Rémy and the Frenchman netted twice to make sure Chelsea signed off in style. His first goal came with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, following good work from Hazard, and his late second was from a Nemanja Matic cross.
Drogba and Cech, together with John Terry, had been part of an on-pitch celebration of the 2004/05 title-winning team ahead of kick-off that was also attended by Carlo Cudicini, Ricardo Carvalho, Claude Makélélé, William Gallas, Geremi, Alexey Smertin, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Paulo Ferreira.
Explaining his personal celebration and how this latest title ranks in his list of achievements, Mourinho said: “Eight [titles] is a lot, eh? I may run out of fingers in the future. Let’s go for ninth and tenth. Then maybe I have to use my feet.
“For me, to have here today the champions of 2004/05 and the champions of 2014/15 is an amazing feeling because I feel as if I belong to both. That team of 2005 is over, finished. I belong to two generations.
“My job is Chelsea’s future and Chelsea’s future is this team that we’ve been working with in the last few years. It’d be a dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025. That would be fantastic.
“This team is just at the beginning. It won the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. They have to win more to be better than 2005. You can win something in a certain moment in your career and that’s it. Or, during your career, you can win on a regular basis. That’s what makes the difference between someone who is a champion and ‘the champions’. Let’s motivate them to go in that direction.”
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat confirmed he has been offered the permanent job and has promised to make a quick decision.
“They offered me already two or three years,” said Advocaat. “I will make a decision as quick as possible, because the club must know.”

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Mail:

Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland: Loic Remy scores double as champions sign off with victory before lifting Premier League trophy

•Sunderland took the lead through Scotland striker Steven Fletcher who headed home at the back post
•Chelsea replied through Diego Costa's penalty after John O'Shea fouled Juan Cuadrado in the area
•Didier Drogba was carried off by his team-mates after suffering an injury on what will be his final game for the club
•Loic Remy scored a double in the second half to ensure Chelsea's Premier League title party could start in style

By Neil Ashton for the Daily Mail

In the 15 frenzied minutes it took a crew to assemble the stage for Chelsea to receive the Barclays Premier League trophy, their supporters were treated to the raw statistics.
Chelsea had been top of the table for a record 268 days, from the moment they beat Everton 6-3 at Goodison Park on August 30 to this final, momentous day in the English football calendar.
‘That’s why we’re champions,’ they sang from the stands.
Jose Mourinho’s team have been unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, winning 15 matches at home on the way to reclaiming the Premier League title by eight points. ‘Bring on the champions,’ they bayed.
And so they did, one by one until they finally, agonisingly got their hands on some shiny silverware to celebrate in front of their supporters.
There were references to the champions everywhere - more than 100 in the club programme alone - but this is an important day in the history of this club and Mourinho. This lot are winners.
The frenzied celebrations are the start of a 48 hour Chelsea-fest, a party starting at Stamford Bridge that will continue through streets awash with blue and white scarves on Monday.
Their 3-1 victory was almost incidental to the main event, a trophy lift that took place at 510pm, after every member of the backroom staff, coaching staff and playing staff had been wheeled out.
Chelsea have been too good for all comers this season, as they demonstrated by recovering from a goal down to record their 26th victory of a 38 game league programme. The proof is in the pudding.
This sure tasted sweet for those boys in blue, cantering to victory with goals from substitutes Diego Costa, from the penalty spot, and two from Loic Remy after the break.
The trophy lift is a familiar feeling for the captain John Terry, certainly executed far better than the clumsy attempt by the players to hoist Didier Drogba off the field in the 30th minute wearing the captain’s armband.
Drogba had announced, in the hours before kick off, that he would leave Chelsea in search of one final season of first team football farther afield. What a send off it turned out to be.
‘Mr Mourinho came to me before the game and explained it - we knew it would happen,’ admitted Advocaat. ‘It’s no problem, the player deserves it.’ Sunderland had just taken the lead when Steven Fletcher read Adam Johnson’s left footed corner to head Dick Advocaat’s team into the lead after 29 minutes.
It was a spirited start by Sunderland, but the reality is that their season ended when they secured their place in the Premier League with that feverish 0-0 draw at Arsenal on Wednesday.
It has all came together for Chelsea in one joyous celebration, patiently waiting three weeks, since they were confirmed as champions, to get their hands on the trophy itself. The trick is to keep hold of it, to begin the title defence in August with the same resilience and desire that they showed to get back into this game.
Chelsea equalised after 35th minutes when John O’Shea clumsily bundled over Juan Caudrado inside the penalty area to gift them a penalty. Costa, on as a substitute, easily beat Vito Mannone.
They had to wait until late in the second half to pierce Sunderland’s defence again, with Eden Hazard providing the chance for Remy to beat Mannone from long range.
Remy, who had replaced the injured Cuadrado two minutes before half-time, scored again when he read Nemanja Matic’s pass across goal.
There was a glimpse into the future too when the Danish central defender Andreas Christensen was brought on to make his Premier League debut 13 minutes from time. Soon this club will be talking about the past, particularly after Drogba announced that he is to leave Chelsea for the second, presumably final, time. He has been an ambassador for this club.
So has Petr Cech, who will also bid farewell to Chelsea after 10 hugely successful years at the club. Both leave with their heads held high.
‘Petr is a 32 year old legend, and I want him to stay because we have the two best keepers in the Premier League,’ reflected Mourinho, as he sipped champagne and revealed that he had already bought a new watch to celebrate their title win. Mourinho’s smile said so much, handing his daughter Matilde his winner’s medal because his son Jose Junior is in Holland at a tournament with his club Fulham.
Here the lap of honour of appreciation took forever, soaking it all up again as they made their way towards their fans in all four corners of this stadium.
When they clamber on to that bus on Monday, they will be right back at the top.

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Mirror:
Chelsea finally lift the Premier League trophy after beating Sunderland at Stamford Bridge

By John Cross
 
Goals from Costa and Remy ensured that the Champions got their title-winning party off on the right foot - with a 3-1 victory over the Black Cats

It was as much leaving party as celebration for the champions.
Chelsea legends Didier Drogba, 37, and Petr Cech, 33, were given a wonderful send off as they bid farewell to Stamford Bridge during the post-match knees-up on the pitch.
Drogba’s goodbye was bizarre as he was carried off shoulder high by his team mates - after being substituted to a standing ovation from the fans after just half an hour.
It was the sort of thing you only see in testimonials. And, in truth, it did feel like a friendly at times as Sunderland’s defending didn’t exactly make life difficult for Chelsea.
In fact, Dick Advocaat’s men - already assured of survival - almost played their part in the celebrations as they stood aside and let Chelsea enjoy their coronation.
Steven Fletcher, with his first goal in six months, briefly threatened to be party pooper as he gave Sunderland a 26th minute lead. But it never really looked as if an upset was on the cards.
Diego Costa, who came on for Drogba, equalised from the penalty spot after Sunderland captain John O’Shea tripped Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado in the 37th minute.
Chelsea substitute Loic Remy, who has been a bit part player for so much of the season, showed he might have much to offer next season with two goals, albeit courtesy of some woeful defending.
Remy’s first came after 70 minutes when Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone should have stopped his 20 yard shot. The second came with a tap-in two minutes from time after the Sunderland defence went AWOL.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho paid a glowing tribute to Drogba - who was made captain - while the fans chanted at Cech “we want you to stay” throughout the game.
Mourinho said: “The substitution was decided because he had a problem with his knee and, in normal conditions, he could not play for long. We left him on for half an hour.
“The captaincy was John's desire, to give him the armband. The players to bring him off the pitch? I think that was decided between them because they like him a lot.
“It’s not just the fans, I also want (Cech to stay). I didn't sing it, but I keep saying the same. He's a legend of this club, but he's a legend at 33. 33 for a goalkeeper is a very young legend.
"When Thibaut Courtois was injured, Petr made decisive saves in matches for us. I'm not sure if Petr was not here in these seven matches if we could be champions, so his contribution was decisive.”
Mourinho held up eight fingers during the post-match celebrations to represent the number of titles he has won at four different clubs. But he has already set his sights on more.
“A lot, eh? I may run out of fingers in the future,” said Mourinho who threw his medal to his daughter Matilde into the crowd. “Let's go for ninth and tenth.
“We had the players from 2005 here. It’d be a dream to be here in 2025 and be with the champions of 2005, 2015 and 2025. That would be fantastic, but my future doesn't matter. What matters is Chelsea's future.”
Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat revealed he has been offered a three year deal to stay but admitted the squad needs a major overhaul and says he will announce his decision quickly.
Advocaat said: “Wait and see. It's not up to me, because they offered me already two or three years. But I have to be honest to myself and to everybody what I will do for the future.”

Player ratings
Chelsea: Cech 7, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7, Mikel 6, Matic 6, Willian 7, Cuadrado 6, Hazard 7, Drogba 6
Subs: Costa 6, Remy 8 MOTM, Christensen 6
Sunderland: Mannone 5, Jones 5, O'Shea 5, Coates 5, Van Aanholt 6, Rodwell 6, Larsson 6, Johnson 6, Defoe 6, Wickham 6, Fletcher 6
Subs: Giaccherini 6

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Star:

Chelsea 3 Sunderland 1: Blues round off season in style with emotional goodbyes
AS testimonials go, it was more eventful than most.

By Paul Brown

With the title already long won this was all about celebrating and waving goodbye to some of Chelsea’s greatest.
You can’t blame them. They did all the hard work weeks ago and had the championship wrapped up with three games to spare.
But you don’t often see Premier League games conducted like this.
It felt like a testimonial because to all intents and purposes that’s how Chelsea treated it.
There were free squad posters handed out outside, free flags on every seat and you could even have a free photo taken with a Blues player of your choice superimposed on to it next to you.
They also paraded some of the heroes of their 2005 title win before kick-off.
Jose Mourinho stressed in his programme notes how much Chelsea wanted to sign off with a win, and of course they did.
But he also wrote: “When we clinched the title, the warriors were empty, dry, and it is difficult to be ready to compete.”
And it was what happened in the 28th minute of this match that summed up how seriously they took it.
In a pre-planned move, Didier Drogba was carried off the pitch by his team-mates to a standing ovation.
Mystified Sunderland players didn’t know whether to clap along or complain about timewasting. It’s a good job they didn’t need to win to stay up…
Drogba has been a great servant to Chelsea over the years and deserved a great send-off. Even for the second time.
But it felt a little disrespectful to Sunderland, who briefly threatened to spoil the party when Steven Fletcher headed them in front after an unwitting flick-on by Nemanja Matic at a corner.
Petr Cech was also waving goodbye, and Fletcher’s first goal for Sunderland since November denied the Czech a 229th clean sheet for Chelsea.
Then, nine minutes after Drogba’s exit, his replacement scored the equaliser from the penalty spot.
It was a controversial one too, with John O’Shea barely touching Juan Cuadrado as he went down on the edge of the box.
But after complaining about penalties all season, Mourinho wasn’t complaining this time as Diego Costa struck home his 20th goal of the season.
Chelsea took the lead with 20 minutes to go when fellow substitute Loic Remy fired home past Vito Mannone after a storming run from Eden Hazard.
Hazard, the PFA and FWA player of the year, started the game despite having three wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week. It didn’t seem to affect him.
Mind you. He wasn’t up against much. By the time Remy made it three with a tap-in from a Matic cross in the 88th minute the game was being played at walking pace.
Sunderland had won on two of their previous visits to the Bridge.
But with survival already secured they didn’t put up much of a fight, and end the season a place behind next door neighbours Newcastle.
When it was finally over it was handshakes and hugs all round, a sea of blue flags waving from every stand and owner Roman Abramovich, sleeves rolled up, clapping away in his box.
Chelsea are worthy winners. They’ve been top of the table for a record 268 days.
They have the best manager in the business, the best first XI in the country and the best player in the league in Hazard.
They also have a skipper in John Terry who became the first player on a championship-winning team to play every minute of every game since Gary Pallister did it for Manchester United in 1993.
“That’s why we’re champions” they sang just before Terry finally lifted the trophy. It won’t be the last time they sing it.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6, Terry 6 Cahill 6, Azpilicueta 6; Mikel 6 (Christensen 78), Matic 6; Cuadrado 6 (REMY 44, 8), Willian 6, Hazard 6; Drogba 5 (Costa 28, 7). Subs: Courtois, Luis, Costa, Christensen, Boga, Solanke
Sunderland: (4-3-3): Mannone 6; Jones 6, Coates 6, O’Shea 5, Van Aanholt 6; Johnson 6 (Giaccherini 75), Larsson 6, Rodwell 6; Wickham 6, Defoe 6; FLETCHER 7. Subs: Pickford, Cattermole, Reveillere, Graham, Vergini, Buckley
Referee: Lee Mason 6

STAR MAN: Loic Remy – Double strike
STAR SHOCKER: John O’Shea – Penalty culprit
Match: 3