What Granit Xhaka Said After Europa League Finish Will Excite Sunderland Fans

Sunderland beat Chelsea 2-1 on the final day of the Premier League season to finish the campaign in seventh place and clinch Europa League qualification for next term. 

Players, staff and supporters all deserve credit for their collective role in Sunderland’s remarkable renaissance, which culminated in some stunning scenes at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

Premier League Manager of the Season nominee Regis Le Bris has done an outstanding job in his second season in charge of the Black Cats, aided in part by his side’s captain and on-pitch coach Granit Xhaka.

Xhaka was crowned Sunderland’s Player of the Season, and rightly so for his transformational effect on Wearside, and the Swiss captain continued his cult hero status with a rousing speech to the Stadium of Light faithful. 

Against Chelsea, Xhaka gave £160m Blues midfielder Enzo Fernandez a true footballing lesson in how to conduct and control a high-stakes game. 

With both sides battling for the victory, and the associated qualification for the Europa League, Xhaka was once again the conductor of Sunderland’s exploits. 

The former Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen figurehead has been one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders this season, and his stellar campaign was concluded perfectly by spearheading Sunderland’s return to European football for the first time in over 50 years. 

After the post-match celebrations had ensued in the Stadium of Light, 144-time capped Switzerland international Xhaka gave a rousing speech to the home supporters, who had been in typically fine voice all afternoon. 

Xhaka took the mic, before he was interrupted by the 48,000-plus Sunderland fans still in the ground awaiting the post-match speeches and lap of appreciation, who chorused his chant for minutes, with the 33-year-old visibly emotional at the adoration. 

Moments later, he told the Sunderland fans: “Massive thank you as well to you guys, without your support home and away, this is not possible. 

“Enjoy together, enjoy the moment and we will see you soon.”

Not only did Xhaka fill the Sunderland fans with unfathomable optimism for the future, he also fulfilled the promise he made to the Black Cats faithful upon his arrival at Wearside last summer.

Eyebrows were raised across the wider footballing world when newly-promoted Sunderland signed Xhaka from German giants Bayer Leverkusen last summer in a £17m deal. 

The veteran midfielder, who helped Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title victory in 2023/24 during his debut campaign, has had another transformative impact, this time on Wearside. 

When he signed on the dotted line at the Academy of Light last summer, Xhaka told Sunderland's media: "We want to write our own history."

Now, just shy of 12 months later, the Swiss dynamo has fulfilled his promise, by captaining Sunderland back in contention with England’s elite and leading them back to Europe for the first time in 52 years. 

Sunderland are by no means a one-man team, far from it, but it can’t be understated how monumental Xhaka’s impact has been on the club’s fortunes, and it’s future.