Maurizio Sarri walked off the Baku turf with a winner's medal around his neck.

The Europa League might not be special for some people, but for Chelsea's boss it is likely to be the most prized possession of his career.

Sarri could go on to win the Champions League, Serie A, Premier League or the World Cup, but May 29, 2019 will always be that key date.

Because for the first time, at the age of 60, he was a winner as a manager.

He had once claimed that he was a 'dreamer' but now he has proved he can take a team all the way to glory.

It may be the Europa League, not the Champions League, and some of the teams might well have struggled to give Grimsby Town a game, but they went one step further than Arsenal.

They went further than Lazio, Marseille, Inter Milan, Benfica and the rest and for Sarri it couldn't have come at a better time.

Maurizio Sarri after Chelsea's win over Arsenal in Baku (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)

It is no secret that Sarri and the Chelsea fans have not bonded. Whether it be his style on or off the pitch, chants against the Italian have been stronger than those for him.

But after a season of ups and downs, he has delivered what the club needed. Champions League football will be back at Stamford Bridge and another trophy fills the cabinet.

What more did people want from him?

Chelsea is about winning trophies, it's about continuing to be in the spotlight and prove that they can compete in all competitions.

No team are close to Liverpool or Manchester City right now, and the Blues might be even further away once Eden Hazard leaves west London.

But in Sarri's victory he has also shown that he can be 'proper Chels'.

The Blues were ruthless in a way that was lacking at times this season. Nerveless when facing Premier League rivals who had bettered them just months before.

But most of all it would be the glory of not just winning the trophy, but also making sure that Arsenal can no longer get a Champions League spot.

Ruining others' days can be delightful, and for the Chelsea fans who made the journey to Baku the glory will be palpable.

Sarri's future is unclear. A move to Juventus is still very much on the cards, but now he could leave with success behind him.

And having ruined Arsenal's season, making Chelsea's year, was just the tonic that everyone needed.


