Calum McFarlane has admitted Chelsea FC’s season ended in disappointment after a 2–1 final-day defeat to Sunderland AFC confirmed the Blues would miss out on European football for the 2026/27 campaign, Softfootball reports.
Speaking in an interview shared on Chelsea’s official YouTube channel, the interim head coach expressed frustration over the club’s inconsistency throughout the season, insisting the squad should have been competing for a UEFA Champions League place.
Mcfarlane said:
‘It was a disappointing end to the season,’ admitted interim head coach McFarlane, after his last game in that role.
‘We should be finishing a lot higher up the league. For me, with this group of players, the talent we have, we should be in the Champions League. We’ve been too inconsistent at times this year and it’s ultimately cost us.
At the end of the day, McFarlane concedes that we just didn’t do well enough to get the result we needed at the Stadium of Light, although he insists that despite that he can’t fault the players’ effort or commitment throughout his time as interim head coach.
The feeling in the dressing room is obviously of disappointment. We wanted to win today and make the best of a bad situation and get into the Europa League.
Chelsea entered the final day knowing victory at the Stadium of Light would keep their hopes of European qualification alive, but goals either side of half-time left the Blues chasing the game. Cole Palmer pulled one back to give Chelsea hope before Wesley Fofana was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
The defeat saw Chelsea finish 10th in the Premier League, ending the campaign without qualification for any European competition, while Sunderland secured a place in the UEFA Europa League.
McFarlane acknowledged the disappointment inside the dressing room but praised the commitment and effort shown by the players during his spell in charge, despite admitting the team ultimately failed to deliver when it mattered most.
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Bruno Fernandes also capped off a remarkable campaign in sensational fashion as Manchester United cruised to a dominant 3-0 victory away against Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the Premier League season
