24 January 2024 , 22:30
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Ben Chilwell wants Chelsea to reach TWO cup finals this season after admitting he has “unfinished business” at Wembley.
The England defender returned from a three-month injury lay-off to help the Blues reach their 13th domestic final in 17 years - and the first on manager Mauricio Pochettino’s watch - in the Carabao Cup annihilation of Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.
But Chilwell, handed the captain’s armband by Poch Spice on his comeback, has a score to settle at the national stadium, where Chelsea have lost six of their last seven finals against Liverpool (twice), Leicester, Arsenal (twice) and Manchester City.
Now approaching his century of Blues appearances after an injury-hit four seasons at Stamford Bridge, he said: “It’s three finals we’ve lost in my time here, so 100 per cent there is unfinished business at Wembley.
"I was talking to Thiago (Silva) in the shower and saying how we’ve both been there three times and lost all three.
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‘For sure, we want to go there and win this time and, as a group, we need to make sure that we really enjoy the experience and soak it in.
"That’s equally important for a group like ours because there’s only a few of us who have won a trophy at Chelsea and it’s a club that demands trophies.
“We need to make sure we go there to win, but it’s also going to be a great experience for a lot of the players and they need to enjoy it as well.”
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 23: Ben Chilwell of Chelsea applauds the fans during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Chelsea and Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on January 23, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images) (Getty Images)Will Chelsea win the Carabao Cup? Have your say in the comments section.
Chelsea’s 6-2 demolition of Boro on aggregate in the semi-final has released the pressure on Pochettino, who has never won a trophy in English football after five years of drawing a blank at Tottenham.
And Chilwell believes it has given them a licence to attack the second half of the season with more gusto - starting with Friday's home FA Cup fourth round date with Aston Villa.
He said: “We’re still fighting for two domestic cups, we’ve got a final and now we’ve got another massive game with Villa.
“We’re not happy getting to one final - we want to get to the FA Cup final as well. It’s eight out of nine wins at the Bridge, so it’s really becoming a good place for us to play again.
“I think that connection between the fans and the players is starting to come back, which is so important.”
Chigwell revealed he had taken on a more pro-active role behind the scenes during his lay-off after being appointed vice-captain, behind Reece James, last August.
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He said: “I had a conversation with the manager a few days after I got injured and said, ‘Now that I’m injured and I can’t help on the pitch, how do you want me to help away from it? How can I use my brain in other ways to stimulate myself and help the team in other ways?’
“It was more that leadership role, making sure that I’m in meetings, making sure that I’m talking, making sure that I’m helping the young boys.
“For a few of them it’s a big step to come to Chelsea and play in front of demanding fans who, rightfully, want us to win because they are so used to that.”