Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino aims for domestic cup triumph as the Blues progress in the Carabao Cup, drove by their absence from European participation this season. Chelsea moved to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Blackburn, urging closer to their first Carabao Cup success since 2015.
Pochettino stated: “We need to think that this is an important competition for us because we are not in Europe, and that should be the priority for us, like the Premier League, and when in January we start the FA Cup.
“Of course, we need to think that we can win this competition.”
If Pochettino’s Chelsea wins the League Cup in his first season, he will enter an exclusive club, becoming only the third manager in the club’s history, after Gianluca Vialli and Jose Mourinho, to do so.
Pochettino added: “After Saturday it was important for us to win the (Blackburn) game, to go through in the competition, of course too many (missed) chances, we need to be more clinical, but that you cannot change from Saturday to (Wednesday), and now we try building the confidence.
“Now we’re looking forward to the next round but now to prepare for the next two games that are so important and into the international break.”
Despite their poor Premier League record (they currently sit 11th), Pochettino’s team are motivated to make the most of their domestic cup prospects. They are ten points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa, who are guaranteed a place in the Europa League group stage. Since the 2017/18 season, the League Cup winners have also finished in the top four of the Premier League.
Pochettino was boosted by the return of captain Reece James and the outstanding performance of Benoit Badiashile, who scored the opening goal against Blackburn. However, he understands the need for improvement, particularly after a recent loss to Brentford.
With Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur and title holders Manchester City on the horizon, Pochettino and his players are well aware that they still have a long way to go to realize their domestic cup goals.
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