Cahill: Chelsea had to save their season

Gary Cahill said Chelsea’s season has been “saved” by them winning the FA Cup.

Eden Hazard’s first-half penalty gave the Blues a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Wembley.

It meant the Blues, who failed to qualify for the Champions League, ended a troubled campaign with a trophy.

“You can see what it means to us,” Chelsea captain Cahill told the BBC.

“This was to save our season. And by that I’m not saying we’ve had a magnificent season by any stretch, but we’re used to winning and we have to try and win things.

“We’re buzzing. We’ve got the job done. I’m delighted. This is extra special.”

Reports suggest the game could be Antonio Conte’s last at the helm – Chelsea are widely tipped to replace the Italian this summer.

“We needed to achieve this goal for everybody, no matter what happens in the future,” Cahill said when asked about his manager’s future.

“We’re not in control of that as players. Who knows what’s going to happen. But it’s important we won this trophy.”