Where Are They Now? The Chelsea Squad Who Won the Europa League OTD in 2013

Only Chelsea, in their successful yet unconventional way, could win the Champions League with an interim manager and then win the Europa League with a different interim at the helm the very next season.

With Roberto Di Matteo sacked following a third-place finish in the Champions League group stage, Chelsea were left with only Europa League football to compete in and Rafa Benítez in charge. Things could certainly have been worse.

They stormed all the way to the final, seeing off Sparta Prague, Steaua București, Rubin Kazan and Basel in the process. There they met Benfica of Portugal – another side very used to European success and one that, like Chelsea, had qualified thanks to a shoddy Champions League group-stage campaign.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Branislav Ivanović won the final with an iconic last minute header, following Fernando Torres and Óscar Cardozo goals for either side. Here, 90min takes a closer look at the Chelsea team that day, and where their careers have taken them since that triumphant night in Amsterdam.

The Starting XI

GK - Petr Čech

The greatest shot-stopper in Chelsea's history, Petr Čech enjoyed two further seasons at Stamford Bridge after this final. Then again, he only truly enjoyed one.

By the time 2014/15 came along, Thibaut Courtois had arrived on the scene and the Czech Republic legend was looking elsewhere for employment. The four-time Premier League Golden Glove winner ended up at Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. There he spent four seasons, retiring last term to take up his dream job as a professional goalkeeper in ice hockey.

RB - César Azpilicueta

It was the Spanish workhorse's first season at Chelsea, and this was his first silverware. Azpilicueta is still at Chelsea now, and has played a major role in each of his eight seasons at the Bridge.

He now captains the Blues, who he has represented nearly 400 times.

CB - Branislav Ivanović

Clearly one of the most important players of this final, the big Serbian had missed the Champions League final in Munich a year before due to suspension. In Amsterdam though, he was very much present and correct.

Since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2017, he has gone on to star for Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. He is showing now signs of slowing down at age 36.

CB - Gary Cahill

Always very good for Chelsea but never threatening to dethrone John Terry as the Blues' best defender of modern era, Cahill was in for Terry here, who was out through injury.

Capped over 60 times by England, he left for Crystal Palace last summer.

LB - Ashley Cole

Simply put, during his years at Arsenal and Chelsea, Ashley Cole was the greatest full-back the Premier League has ever seen.

He stayed just a single season more at Chelsea after the 2013 Europa League final, before bowing out from the sport after stints at Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby County.

CM - Frank Lampard

And who was Cole's manager during his short time at Derby? Frank Lampard. Possibly the best player to ever play for Chelsea, the club legend left after 13 years in 2014, moving to rivals Manchester City for a season.

A very prolific stay at New York City brought a highly successful career to an end, before taking up the managerial job a Derby and then/now Chelsea.

CM - David Luiz

This Europa League run was the one that saw Chelsea get the absolute best out of his attacking talents. Chelsea versus Basel in the semi-final tie was effectively a one-man battle between Chelsea's Luiz and Basel's Mohamed Salah....whatever happened to him?

Just as Lampard and Cole were both leaving the Bridge, Luiz made an expensive transfer to PSG. Back he came to Chelsea, before moving across town to Arsenal last summer.

RW - Ramires

For six years, Ramires was huge asset for Chelsea and usually came good on the big occasion. Three of his best displays for the club came in the Champions League and FA Cup finals of 2012 and here, the Europa League final of 2013.

After three underwhelming years at Jiangsu Suning in China, he now turns out for Palmeiras back home in Brazil. In reality, he sits on the bench.

CAM - Juan Mata

It certainly does seem an age ago now that Juan Mata was pulling on the royal blue colours of Chelsea, but he was a much better version of himself when he did.

It's pretty well-covered what he did after leaving Chelsea. He moved to Manchester United, where he has since spent seven seasons.

LW - Oscar

Not that Oscar was bad, he certainly wasn't, but if Eden Hazard had been fit, he would have started on the left flank instead.

He now stars Shanghai SIPG since leaving Chelsea in 2016, who he has performed very well for. But he still joined the Chinese Super League about six years too early, and we can't forgive him for that.

ST - Fernando Torres

Were his displays at Chelsea worthy of a £50m transfer? Absolutely not. But were his displays quite as bad as people make out? Absolutely not.

A shining star for Liverpool, after leaving Chelsea he turned out for AC Milan, Atlético Madrid and finally retired in 2019 at Japanese side Sagan Tosu.

Substitutes

Ross Turnbull (GK) – Never really got a look in during four years at Chelsea. Moved on to Doncaster, Barnsley, Leeds, and then retired.

Paulo Ferreira (RB) – A pretty underrated player when all things are considered, Ferreira retired from football altogether after the final in Amsterdam.

John Obi Mikel (CDM) – Again, criminally underrated, Mikel stuck around a little longer. When he was finally shown the door in 2017, he joined Chinese team Tianjin TEDA. Then he found his way to Middlesbrough, before spending this season at Trabzonspor. He left by mutual consent a couple of months ago and is now a free agent.

Marko Marin (CM) – Remember him? The Bosnian-born midfielder was capped 16 times by Germany between 2008 and 2010. Goodness knows how. A serial loanee at Chelsea, he moved to Olympiacos after leaving. Then it was Red Star Belgrade; now it's Al-Ahli.

Yossi Benayoun (CM) – He's basically spent his career bouncing between different clubs in England and different clubs back home in Israel. He retired from playing last year, last representing Beitar Jerusalem.

Nathan Aké (CB) – Chelsea could so do with having him around now, but they sold him to Eddie Howe's Bournemouth in 2017 where he remains to this day.

Victor Moses (RW) – It was only by Antonio Conte were Moses' talents truly understood by a Chelsea manager. He's still at the club to this day, but the Nigerian international spent most of this season on loan at Inter.

Manager

Rafa Benítez

Immediately after the final success here, Benítez left for Italy, where he spent two seasons at Napoli. Real Madrid came calling for a single season, before Newcastle United became his latest project.

Now he finds himself in China, managing Dalian Professional.