Chelsea reaches Europa final after shootout

It will meet Arsenal in Baku on May 29. The lively semi-final tie finished 2-2 after normal time, with the sides producing the same scoreline (1-1) as they did in Frankfurt a week ago. It was only fitting that Hazard won the host the match with what could be his final kick at Stamford Bridge.

The Real Madrid target is expected to leave Chelsea at the end of the season after seven years in London. Home goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was another hero on the night, saving penalties from Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia in the shootout, in which Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta also had his shot stopped.

Chelsea looked in charge half an hour into the game when Hazard dodged and shimmied round the Frankfurt defence before pushing a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The England midfielder rolled the ball into net at the far post in the 28th minute.

But three minutes after the break, Luka Jovic shot past the stranded Arrizabalaga to level the score. The visitor had the psychological advantage and pressed Chelsea. Jovic, Ante Rebic and Danny da Costa were constant threats as the German team sought a potentially decisive second away goal.

At the other end, Olivier Giroud, Willian and substitute Davide Zappacosta squandered chances for the home side in a frantic and error-strewn last 20 minutes of normal time. In extra time, Luiz and Zappacosta were forced into desperate clearances off the line from substitute Sebastien Haller.

The English side had the ball in the net after 115 minutes and Azpilicueta wheeled away in celebration but the goal was ruled out for a foul on keeper Kevin Trapp. The shootout was played in front of the noisy German fans and it was Azpilicueta who felt the pressure first, his shot comfortably saved by Trapp.

But Arrizabalaga took control, saving Hinteregger’s penalty with his feet and pushing aside Paciencia’s.

A hat-trick from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and an Alexandre Lacazette strike booked Arsenal’s place in the Europa League final with a 4-2 win at Valencia.

The success sealed an emphatic 7-3 aggregate victory for the London side. Arsenal’s first win on Spanish soil since beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in 2006 kept its hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive through Europe’s secondary competition.