Amsterdam: Midfielder Ramires said he felt much calmer helping Chelsea to a 2-1 win over Benfica in a tense Europa League final than he had watching last year's Champions League victory from the stands. The Brazilian international, a tireless runner, told Reuters in an interview that Wednesday night's victory at the Amsterdam Arena provided a blessed relief after he was forced out of the 2012 penalty shootout triumph over Bayern Munich through suspension.
"I have been compensated," Ramires said. "It's much better to be on the pitch where you know you can help your team mates and have an impact. "When you watch from the sidelines you are just terribly nervous and anxious." Ramires, who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2010, said Wednesday's victory was tinged with sympathy for his former colleagues.
"I feel badly for them. We've played and beaten them twice since I've been at Chelsea and it's always tough," he said, referring to last year's Champions League quarter-final win over the Lisbon team. "They played so well on Wednesday especially in the first half. They closed me down and it was difficult to find space."
Benfica now have the unenviable record of losing seven European finals in a row since their glory days of the 1960s. Ramires's fellow Brazilian Oscar featured in his maiden European final on Wednesday but said he intended it to be the first of many....
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05:45 PM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: Chelsea landed their only silverware of a gruelling campaign by beating Benfica 2-1 in the Europa League final on Wednesday but assistant coach Boudewijn Zenden believes the triumph only partially atoned for a string of failures. The European champions started their season in August dreaming of a possible seven-trophy haul with the Community Shield, European Super Cup, World Club Cup, Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup...
04:46 PM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: Benfica coach Jorge Jesus hinted he may leave the club following the heartbreak of their 2-1 injury-time defeat by Chelsea in the Europa League final on Wednesday. The 58-year-old, who has been in charge for four years, said the Lisbon team were the better side for most of the match and that defeat was hard to bear. After an emotional tribute to the quality of his players, Jesus said...
10:20 AM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: Frank Lampard suggested he was on the verge of signing a new contract with Chelsea after leading the London club to a 2-1 victory over Benfica in the Europa League final on Wednesday. The 34-year-old midfielder, who broke Chelsea's all-time scoring record when his double against Aston Villa on Saturday took him past Bobby Tambling's tally of 202 goals, looks like getting the new deal he has craved all...
10:05 AM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: Matchwinner Branislav Ivanovic said Chelsea deserved to win the Europa League with a 2-1 success over Benfica on Wednesday after a "difficult season". The Serbian defender headed a stoppage-time winner from a corner to secure a second successive European trophy for the Premier League side after they won the Champions League for the first time last season. "This team deserved this, because we have had a very difficult season...
09:59 AM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: Chelsea captain John Terry suffered cup final heartbreak for the second time in 12 months when he missed out on selection for Wednesday's Europa League showdown against Benfica. The former England centre half was left out of the starting lineup after failing to recover from a twisted ankle he sustained in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League win at Aston Villa. Terry also missed last season's Champions League final victory over...
09:42 AM, May 16, 2013
Amsterdam: A stoppage-time header from Branislav Ivanovic helped Chelsea become the first English club to win all three of UEFA's major trophies as they beat Benfica 2-1 in the Europa League final on Wednesday. The Serbian defender sent the London club's fans wild with delight when he climbed high at the far post to meet a Juan Mata corner and place a header back across helpless goalkeeper Artur into the...
02:51 AM, May 16, 2013
London: After humiliation in the Champions League comes potential salvation in the Europa League for Chelsea, with Wednesday's final against Benfica offering the English team an eighth and final chance for silverware from a turbulent and grueling campaign. Chelsea have turned their season around after a turbulent end to 2012, when they became the first reigning champion to exit the Champions League at the group stage, Roberto Di Matteo was...
12:13 PM, May 15, 2013
Amsterdam: Chelsea winger Eden Hazard will miss Wednesday's Europa League final against Benfica with a hamstring strain while John Terry's ankle problem is still being assessed, interim manager Rafa Benitez said. The pair were injured in Saturday's Premier League win at Aston Villa. Captain Terry is desperate to prove his fitness after missing last season's Champions League final win over Bayern Munich through suspension. "Hazard will not be available and,...
08:01 AM, May 15, 2013
Amsterdam: Chelsea could be without captain John Terry and playmaker Eden Hazard for Wednesday's Europa League final against Benfica. After winning the Champions League title last year, Chelsea failed to reach the knockout stage this season and has long been a non-factor in the Premier League title chase. That means only victory in the lesser of Europe's two cup tournaments can salvage a disappointing season for the London club. Both...
09:27 PM, May 14, 2013
Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo's well-taken double fired Benfica into a Europa League final with Chelsea after they beat Fenerbahce 3-1 in Lisbon to win their semi-final 3-2 on aggregate. Top scorer Cardozo, who signed a new deal in January and has a 60 million euros buyout clause in his contract, proved too hot to handle after Dirk Kuyt's away goal had given Fenerbahce the upper hand. Benfica, last in a...
08:49 AM, May 03, 2013
London: Chelsea's roller coaster of a season could yet end with another night of European glory after they knocked FC Basel out of the semi-finals on Thursday 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...
08:38 AM, May 03, 2013
London: Continued speculation that Jose Mourinho is set to return to Chelsea "where people love me" cut little ice with interim manager Rafa Benitez who remains focused on guiding the London side to the Europa League final. Chelsea host FC Basel on Thursday holding a 2-1 lead from their semi-final first leg and Benitez is two matches away from claiming a European crown for a club he will leave at...
11:10 PM, May 01, 2013
London: Chelsea's relentless march towards either more European glory or an heroic, battle-weary failure, continues on Thursday when they face FC Basel with the final of the Europa League beckoning. The Londoners, like Benfica who face Fenerbahce in the other semi-final, were eliminated from the Champions League after the group stage, but both dropouts could yet meet in the final at the Amsterdam Arena on May 15. Chelsea are well-placed...
10:00 AM, May 01, 2013
Inter Milan have been fined 45,000 euros for the racist behaviour of their fans during a Europa League last 16 second-leg match at home to Tottenham Hotspur in March, UEFA said in a statement on Friday. Benfica have also been hit by a 32,000 euro fine for organisational issues and the conduct of their supporters at the Europa League last 16, first leg against Girondins Bordeaux in Lisbon last month....
12:32 AM, Apr 27, 2013
Istanbul: Egemen Korkmaz's second-half header earned Fenerbahce a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Benfica and eased the tears of team mate Cristian on Thursday. The Turkish club hit the woodwork three times including Cristian's penalty which thudded against the post on the stroke of halftime, reducing the Brazilian to tears. Luckily for the midfielder, Korkmaz made the breakthrough after 72 minutes with a...
08:17 AM, Apr 26, 2013
Geneva: David Luiz beat goalkeeper Yann Sommer with a 22-yard free kick on the final shot of the match in the fourth minute of stoppage time, giving Chelsea a 2-1 win at Basel on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals. Victor Moses put Chelsea in front with a header in the 12th minute, and Fabian Schaer tied the score with an 87th-minute penalty kick after...
07:52 AM, Apr 26, 2013
London: Chelsea are in the last chance saloon as far as a trophy goes and Fernando Torres, complete with his 'Mask of Zorro', must continue his recent improvement in swashbuckling style in Thursday's Europa League semi-finals. Fenerbahce welcome Benfica in their first leg while European champions Chelsea face a tricky trip to Basel without the cup-tied Demba Ba, meaning fellow striker Torres will take up the fight as the Londoners...
11:36 AM, Apr 24, 2013
London: Rafa Benitez will continue to rotate his Chelsea players as they bid to deal with a fixture pile-up and rebound from two consecutive defeats, the club's interim manager said on Tuesday. The Spaniard left out senior players John Terry and Frank Lampard for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City but says he will stick to his guns amid growing pressure to retain a settled side for their...
12:17 AM, Apr 17, 2013
London: Holders Chelsea should have striker Demba Ba and defender Ryan Bertrand available for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley. Senegal international Ba, who was ineligible for Thursday's Europa League quarter-final at Rubin Kazan, suffered an ankle problem in last weekend's 2-1 Premier League victory over Sunderland and had to go off at halftime. England fullback Bertrand, who has been deputising in the absence of the injured...
01:05 AM, Apr 13, 2013
