"Could have been in such a different position" - Gary Neville delivers honest verdict on Chelsea's 2021-22 season

Gary Neville believes Chelsea had a good season despite having trouble on and off the pitch. The Blues had to cope with long-term injuries to key players like Ben Chilwell before their owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite all the ups and downs, Gary Neville believes the Blues had a great season which could have been ever better had things gone their way. Speaking on the YouTube channel The Overlap (via The Chelsea Chronicle), the former player-turned-pundit was quoted as saying the following:

"I think Chelsea have had a really good season considering. I did the Carabao Cup final and they should have won that game it’s ridiculous. They had chances in the FA Cup final. I think the injuries to [Reece] James and to [Ben] Chilwell are big. I think obviously ownership problems are big. Losing to Real Madrid in the last 10 minutes… they could have been in such a different position.”

Chelsea finished third in the Premier League, behind Manchester City and Liverpool. Thomas Tuchel's side amassed 74 points over the course of the campaign, three points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Tuchel's side, however, have lost both domestic cup finals to Liverpool this season. The Blues lost both the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup final in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 affair after 120 minutes.

Thomas Tuchel's side were also close in beating Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. The Blues were leading 4-3 on aggregate in the second leg before Real Madrid scored two late goals to advance through to the semifinals.

---

Chelsea did end up winning two trophies in the 2021-22 season

Thomas Tuchel's side were the reigning European champions as they won the Champions League in 2021. This allowed them to compete in the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup this season. The Blues ended up winning both of those trophies.

Chelsea started the 2021-22 season by beating Europa League champions Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup. Following a 1-1 draw, the Blues won the game after a penalty shootout.

They would then travel to the United Arab Emirates to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup. The Blues won their first Club World Cup in their illustrious history by beating Brazilian side Palmeiras 2-1 in the final.