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Reuters 5y

Chelsea held by Leicester but point enough for third place

Gonzalo Higuain missed two first-half chances as Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw by Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Sunday, but the point was enough to secure third place in the Premier League for Maurizio Sarri's side.

Chelsea, who play Arsenal in the Europa League final later this month, finished the campaign with 72 points, one point clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, who has been the subject of much speculation that he could move away from Stamford Bridge, was dropped to the bench, while there was no place in the match-day squad for N'Golo Kante as he succumbed to a hamstring injury.

The two best chances of the opening half fell to Higuain, who put his first effort wide of the right post and then missed on the left when well-placed on both occasions.

Hazard was introduced with 20 minutes remaining and had an appeal for a penalty after tumbling in the box, but referee Anthony Taylor waved play on as neither side were able to find a winner.

After the match, Sarri said he felt the season was a success in hindsight after reaching the goal of making the Champions League.

He said: "The season was really very difficult for us but I think at the end we are happy, we are happy because we went in trouble three months ago and at the end we are in the third position and reach the target of the club, the Champions League.

"We played a final against Manchester City in the League Cup and before the final in the League Cup we played against Liverpool and Tottenham, the two finalists of the Champions League.

"Now we have to play a very important match in the final of the Europa League, so at the moment this season is very good. The season can become wonderful. It was really very difficult, every match is really very difficult.

"Now I think of [Jurgen] Klopp. Because if you are able to gain 97 points in the Premier League without winning it is really very hard. I thought that I was unlucky in the last season in Serie A because [Napoli] arrived in second place with 91 and now I can understand very well the feeling of Klopp."

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