MAURICIO Pochettino is “desperate” to win a first trophy in England after achieving one objective set out when he took over Chelsea last summer.
The Blues demolished Middlesbrough 6-1 in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night to go through 6-2 on aggregate.
Any fears Chelsea supporters had that Michael Carrick’s Championship side might complete a shock were comprehensively allayed after four first-half goals through Jonny Howson’s own goal, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer.
Palmer added his second and Noni Madueke made it six, before Morgan Rogers gave the big away support something to cheer two minutes from time.
“On one side, I think it’s an amazing achievement because I think it was our objective from the start,” Pochettino said. “With no Europe, no Champions League, no Europa League, no Conference League, to build a team nearly from zero, it was our objective to be at Wembley in February – and that job is done.
“But now it is about [winning] the final. Yeah, I’m so happy. But on the other side it looks like it’s not important because Chelsea is about [winning the] Champions Leagues, Premier League and it looks like it’s not so important.
“I think we need to start to realise and give credit to the team. I think it’s important for the club, important for us and this process to build a new team.”
Pochettino went close to winning trophies as manager of Tottenham Hotspur but was twice denied by Chelsea, finishing second in the Premier League behind Antonio Conte’s Blues in 2016-17 and losing the League Cup final to Jose Mourinho’s side in 2015.
“I am desperate to win a title here,” Pochettino said. “We won in Paris [as boss of Paris Saint-Germain], three trophies and we want to win here. I am desperate to win here, of course.
“I need to clarify again: We need to put all the things in the circumstance and the time, also. When we arrived at Tottenham in 2014, the plan was to build a new stadium and finish the training ground.
“And the objective was to get top four and play Champions League because the club was always finishing sixth or seventh. We put everything to try to play in the Champions League because it was the way to – I don’t want to be wrong – but it was the way to help the club to achieve the objective.
“Of course, we prioritised the Champions League, with [Spurs chairman] Daniel [Levy] and everyone. Of course, today is going to help this team because we don’t have the opportunity to play in the Champions League or be in Europe. [We have] this type of experience, to go to Wembley.
“The club, I think Chelsea’s mentality is amazing, they want to win. But we are a new team. We need to build the confidence and trust. To go to Wembley and play a final with Liverpool or Fulham now.”
