Chelsea want to salvage Europa League from poor season

There are many at Chelsea who will be happy to see the back of another turbulent, disappointing season.

It was a year in which Chelsea were talked about as potential title contenders under Enzo Maresca in November, but a shock falling-out after a poor run in December led to the Italian leaving the club on New Year's Day. He is now set to join Manchester City as Pep Guardiola's successor.

Although the logic behind appointing Liam Rosenior from partner club Strasbourg made sense, it left both clubs in the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership model damaged by a chaotic situation.

The appointment of Xabi Alonso as his successor, after four underwhelming months, has brought renewed optimism.

Attention has now turned to whether these players, under interim head coach Calum McFarlane, can salvage European qualification, with Champions League football already out of reach.

Having already enjoyed success in Europe's third-tier competition, the Conference League, last season, there is little appetite among fans, players or even the club's accountants to return to it.

Qualification for the Europa League would at least be viewed more positively and would make Alonso's job easier next season.

That would require Chelsea to win away at Sunderland - yet the hosts could themselves leapfrog the Blues with a victory - and also requires results elsewhere to go their way on the final day of the season on Sunday.