Chelsea boss desperate for England silverware
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said he is “desperate” to get his hands on silverware in England after his side booked their place in the League Cup final on Tuesday.
Chelsea thrashed Championship club Middlesbrough 6-1 in the second leg of their semifinal at Stamford Bridge. Middlesbrough had won the first leg 1-0.
The 51-year-old Argentine, who previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Espanyol, won Ligue 1 with Paris St Germain in the 2021-22 season. He also guided them to the French Cup and Trophee des Champions.
Pochettino came close to success with Spurs twice when they finished runners-up in the League Cup (2014/2015) and Champions League (2018/2019).
“I’m desperate to win a title here,” Pochettino told reporters.
“In one year and a half in Paris, we won three trophies, and we want to win one here. I’m desperate to win, of course.
“In some point, it’s an amazing achievement. I think it was the objective when we started: with no Champions League, no Europa League, no Conference League, to build a team from nearly zero.
“The job is done but now it is about winning the final.”
The big-spending Londoners, who lie ninth in the Premier League, had squandered a hatful of chances in the first leg away two weeks ago which Middlesbrough won 1-0.
But Tuesday’s game underlined the gulf in quality between the Premier League side and their second-tier visitors with the tie finishing 6-2 on aggregate.
“Today we were very clinical in front of goal. We missed that in the first leg and we were disappointed.
“Today we were really good and I think that is the difference,” Pochettino told Sky Sports.
Middlesbrough, missing key players through injury, could not repeat their defensive heroics of the first leg and, after conceding an own-goal through captain Jonny Howson in the 15th minute, were already 4-0 down by halftime.
Cole Palmer put away two for Chelsea, in the 42nd and 77th minutes, as the Blues ran rings around their opponents with a sharp passing game.
“I missed three sitters in the first game so it was always in the back of my mind coming into this game.
“To score two and go through to Wembley, I’m happy,” Palmer told Sky Sports.
“We’ve not had the best of starts, there is no hiding it but to go to Wembley is a great opportunity to get a trophy and we’re looking forward to it.”
Pochettino praised Palmer’s intelligence on the pitch. The forward has now scored 10 goals in his first season with Chelsea.
“He is a player with an amazing talent. It is a player that understands the game.
“He has the quality and the talent to see the situation and to read the game in another aspect,” the Argentine coach said.
Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Noni Madueke also got on the scoresheet, while Morgan Rogers scored a consolation goal for Boro in the 88th minute.
Chelsea are ninth in the league after 21 matches. They next host Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup tomorrow.