League title now a Mata of priority
The 25-year-old playmaker has won the World Cup and European Championships with Spain and has now added the Europa League to the Champions League Chelsea won in 2012.
Following the 2-1 win over Benfica in Amsterdam, Mata hopes to realise his ambition of winning the Premier League in his third season at Stamford Bridge next term.
“I feel very proud of what I have done, but I want to do more,” Mata said.
“I want to win more trophies, for example the Premier League. It would be very special for me. It’s the first time for a club to win the Champions League one season and the Europa League the following season,” he added.
“It’s very difficult to do it in two consecutive seasons and I think we feel really proud of this team.”
Brazilian star David Luiz shares Mata’s desire for a Premier League title.
“We need to win titles,” Luiz said. “This is a big club. Always you have the opportunity to play big games, play important competitions, so next year Chelsea want more Europe titles, want the Premier League, want everything.
“The team has a lot of quality, that’s why we won two big trophies in two years. The Premier League this season was a little bit bad [but] I think this team has a lot of quality for the Premier League next year.”
If Chelsea are to mount a Premier League title challenge, Mata and Luiz will be key figures and so too will Frank Lampard.
Lampard, who lifted the Europa League trophy at the Amsterdam ArenA after captaining Chelsea in the final, has signed a one-year contract extension at Stamford Bridge to end the uncertainty over his future.
Mata said: “He has showed this season, scoring 16, 17 goals, he’s one of the best midfielders in the world.”
Lampard says he “couldn’t be happier” after signing a new one-year contract to extend his 12-year stay at Chelsea.
“I always maintained the dream was to stay at Chelsea. We’ve been talking for ages and even though it went on for quite a period, it was always amicable.
“I want to thank Mr Abramovich for everything he’s done in making the dream a reality.”
Another Chelsea player enjoying a dream end to his season is striker Fernando Torres.
“The Spaniard believes his normal service has been restored after scoring the opening goal of Wednesday’s final in Amsterdam.
The 29-year-old has endured more famine than feast in front of goal since his ÂŁ50million January 2011 move from Liverpool, not to mention much anger from the fans, but he netted his sixth goal in six Europa League appearances on Wednesday night.
“It’s been a good season for me. Top scorer in the team, winning a trophy, scoring in the final. Things are becoming normal,” he contested.
Torres, who will bid for his first Premier League goal since December in Sunday’s final game of the season at home to Everton, has now netted 21 times this term, and is already targeting success in next season’s Premier League.
Torres said: “We were expecting to win much more this season. We were playing for finals and it’s not been easy.
“At the end I think we can say it’s a good season, but we’re looking forward to the next one.”
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