Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has told his boys to target lifting the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League before the season’s end.
The Blues were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona on Wednesday and their final hope of winning a trophy this term is the FA Cup, which resumes with Sunday’s quarterfinal clash against Leicester.
But there is no more time to cry over spilt milk as Conte, who has come under severe criticism in the last couple of months, will have to devise a plan to successfully negotiate Leicester in the FA Cup.
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Asked about the team, Conte didn’t specify much but there have been suggestions that Willy Caballero could keep his place against Leicester after Thibaut Courtois’ poor outing against Barcelona.
“I think that we are talking about two good goalkeepers, Thibaut and Willy. We don’t have rules for the [different] competitions. On Sunday I’ll try to make the best decision, because we want to try to go to the next round,” Conte was quoted by ESPN.
The Blues exited the Champions League to which our gaffer responded by saying:
“It was a pity to go out of the Champions League, especially after two good performances against Barcelona, but this is football, this is life.”
“Now we have to face another competition and we must have great confidence to trust in our strength and try to move on. It’s a great competition – the oldest competition in the world. Last season we did very well to reach the final at Wembley, and now we have this possibility to reach the semi-final again.”
Conte, however, is adamant that he will not prioritise a top-four finish over winning silverware this season.
“We have to try to do both,” he added. “To try to go to the next round and to reach the semifinal in the FA Cup. It won’t be easy.
“Leicester is a good team. In the last game we played at home [in the Premier League] we suffered against them. Then [we have to] do our best also in the league, to find a place in the Champions League. It won’t be easy.
“Every trophy is important for us. We started the season to try to fight until the end for every competition.
“In the Carabao Cup we reached the semifinal, in Champions League the last 16. This is the FA Cup quarterfinal. If we win we can play another semifinal at Wembley. We try to do our best in every competition. This must be our target.”
England defender Gary Cahill and Spain striker Alvaro Morata have found themselves out of the team of late and were left out of their respective national teams for this month’s friendlies, putting further doubts over their chances of making the World Cup in summer.
Speaking on that, Conte explained:
“This question is for the coach of the national team, not for me. My only worry is that we try to have our players in the best form for Chelsea. Then the national team coach has to make the best decision for the country.”
It was disappointing to bow out of the Champions League but we really took the game to Barcelona. However, there can be no better time to be back in action and let’s hope we bounce back strongly against Leicester.