With everyone at Stamford Bridge confidently anticipating the return of Jose Mourinho, it was an oddly muted finish to a season which lived up to Chelsea’s customary standards of contained chaos and managed mayhem.

Rafa Benitez didn’t risk joining the Europa League trophy-toting lap of honour following the 2-1 win over Everton, which meant no need to pre-qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Sections of the crowd would have used the moment to serenade The Special One instead… ironically waving the plastic flags which Benitez disparagingly referred to many moons ago while managing Liverpool; the cause of fans’ ire.

What a shame that Frank Lampard and John Terry, who made little speeches on the pitch, couldn’t find it in their hearts to mention Rafa’s achievements.

To surge to a third-place finish against fierce competition from Spurs and Arsenal, and lift a European trophy in a 69-match season, should be enough to guarantee some kind of grudging acknowledgement.

But it was as if nobody could bring themselves to speak Rafa’s name, for fear of being associated with a figure who – apart from one brief flicker of frustrated rage after the Blues’ cup win at Middlesbrough in February – maintained a saint-like dignity and cheerfulness in the face of hostile home barracking and the Chelsea board’s pointed and disrespectful prefixing of the word ‘interim’ before the word ‘manager’.

Think what you like of him, he kept the team focused and hungry to the end, with the only question marks hanging over his leave-it-too-late substitution timings, and his eternal belief in Yossi Benayoun as a late-impact game-changer.

"I'm loved in England" - Jose Mourniho hints at a return to the Premier League after Real Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League

On his watch, Nathan Ake has emerged as a confident, developing young midfield star, while Fernando Torres has found fresh form. Twenty-three goals in 64 games is a great record, augmented by a shoal of assists.

If confirmed, Mourinho will bolster the squad further, making Chelsea realistic challengers for league title and Champions League in a mouth-watering 2013-14 season.