Chelsea seals CL spot despite 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in EPL

Posted May 23, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Chelsea's Mason Mount, center, talks with Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech, right, at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea, at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham England, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Nick Potts, Pool via AP) The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) - Chelsea clinched a Champions League qualification spot in nervy fashion following a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Blues looked like they would need to win the Champions League by beating Manchester City in the final on Saturday to get back in the competition next season after goals by Bertrand Traore and Anwar El Ghazi - from the penalty spot - put Villa 2-0 ahead.

Ben Chilwell pulled a goal back for Chelsea, which ended up relying on fifth-place Leicester losing 4-2 at home to Tottenham to stay in the top four by just a point over the Foxes.

Chelsea also beat Leicester to a top-four finish on the final day last season.

Cesar Azpilicueta was sent off late on for Chelsea for lashing out at Jack Grealish, while manager Thomas Tuchel also faces an anxious wait to discover if goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will be fit for the Champions League final in Porto after he was forced off at halftime after colliding with the post as Traore scored.

Villa, already guaranteed 11th place, wrapped up a season of progress with a gritty victory.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Aston Villa's Anwar El Ghazi scores his side's 2nd goal on a penalty kick, during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea, at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham England, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Richard Heathcote/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta reacts after fouling Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, at right, on the ground, during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea, at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham England, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Richard Heathcote/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

Aston Villa's head coach Dean Smith celebrates his side's 2-1 win at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Chelsea, at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham England, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Nick Potts, Pool via AP) The Associated Press

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