Chelsea manager Mauritius Pochettino has stated that he’s hoping to see his team pick the slot to the final of the EFL Cup when they play Middlesbrough in the second leg of the semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Chelsea lost the first leg 1-0 away at Middlesbrough, and ahead of the second leg, Pochettino has tagged the game as an important fixture for the club and its fans. He also stated that on a personal level, he wants to play the final, but then they have to snatch the passport to Semblance from the hands of a very good team.

The defeat is Chelsea’s only defeat in their last five matches, where they have won the previous four. Still, in the aftermath of that first leg, Pochettino agrees that Middlesbrough are a confident side, especially in front of their own fans. Chelsea must take advantage of the fans at Stamford Bridge and take the opportunity to fight for the EFL Cup by qualifying for the final.

“We need to take advantage of playing at Stamford Bridge with all the energy that will translate from our fans. We felt very disappointed after that game because when you analyzed it, we deserved more. But in football, sometimes it’s not about what you deserve. It’s about being clinical, aggressive, scoring goals, and defending actions that the opponent forces you into near your goal. We were all disappointed, but we had 90 minutes to fix the situation and win. We will respect the opponent because they are going to be tough. But it’s a massive chance for us to have a possibility to go to the final and fight for a title.” Pochettino said.

The second semi-final will see Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham; the Reds will take a 2-1 lead from the first leg and hope to see the Cottagers off on Wednesday.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu