‘Winner will have upper hand in the other final’

THE FA Cup winner will have the upper hand when Leicester City and Chelsea meet for a second time three days later, claims Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.

City take on Chelsea at Wembley today with silverware on the line, and then head to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for a decisive game in the battle for a top-four finish and Champions League football.

Tuchel, who has lost just three of his 26 games in charge at Chelsea, believes both games are finals, and that whoever wins the first at Wembley will be favourites to make it a double on Tuesday night.

Asked which game is more important, Tuchel said: “I absolutely cannot judge it because these are two finals.

“We don’t think about anything other than the two finals. There’s the final for the cup and the final for the top four.

“We missed the chance against Arsenal to be decisive, to have the decisive advantage [in the Premier League], so now we have to cope with it and, first of all, show the reaction at Wembley to have the upper hand on Tuesday. This is what we are up for.

“In terms of quality, we will have to be at our best.

“Leicester are a strong side that deserves to be in the final and three days later we compete with them for top four.

“This is the highest level and we need a top performance.

“Every win gives you a good feeling and a momentum that you work hard for.

“So this is pretty much always the same.

“It’s a bit curious that we play our two finals against the same team and it will be very, very tough, complicated and difficult.

“So it’s the moment to step up and enjoy on the highest level.”

Despite previously suggesting he may be injured, Tuchel has said N’Golo Kante will now start against his former club, backing him to play 90 minutes.