Pochettino wants more ‘trust’ in team as Chelsea clinch Wembley return
Mauricio Pochettino urged the Chelsea fans to offer "unconditional" backing to his young team after they reached the FA Cup semi-finals with a rollercoaster 4-2 win over Leicester.
Stoppage-time goals by substitutes Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke settled a last-eight clash that had everything, with Leicester reduced to 10 men after Raheem Sterling's missed first-half penalty, while the Blues' Axel Disasi also scored an extraordinary own goal.
When Disasi fired his back pass beyond goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the 51st minute, it offered Leicester a lifeline and they levelled in stunning fashion 11 minutes later when Stephy Mavididi rifled into the corner.
The Stamford Bridge crowd were ready to turn when Sterling blazed a free-kick into the stand, which was met with boos, after the visitors were reduced to 10 men after Callum Doyle brought down Nicolas
Jackson. Pochettino's decision to take off Mykhailo Mudryk and not Sterling was greeted with chants of, 'you don't know what you' re doing ', but the chelseaboss had the last laugh, with Chukwuemeka slotting home in the first minute of stoppage time before Madueke curled home from range to clinch a Wembley return.
"For a second time, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, we are going to Wembley," former Tottenham manager Pochettino insisted.
"When I arrived in England at Southampton, they said, 'we need to go to Wembley, we need togo to Wembley '. In Tottenham,' we need togo to wembley, we need togo to wembley '. Now look in nine months in two different competitions we got to Wembley and we need to enjoy and we need to trust more.
"I am a very positive person. I really believe in our fans, ire ally believe in our club and I really believe the most important in our staff we have today because all the staff are fantastic. And of course our players.
"Young (players) but I am enjoying a lot trying to help them achieve what they want. Of course all together we will succeed, no doubt. we will keep moving in the same direction and of course we want to create better emotion. I cannot lie, I hope the next game our fans will be always unconditional behind the team because we are representing Chelsea."
Leicester boss Enzo Maresca praised his team, adding: "The most important thing is we don' t lose our identity. it doesn' t matter if it is Chelsea or Bristol City. We are just working since the first day one way and we will continue until the end."