Thomas Tuchel has admitted Chelsea have “something to prove” at Wembley after losing two finals at England’s national stadium.
Chelsea lost last season’s FA Cup final 1-0 to Leicester but that disappointment was quickly eased by the Blues toppling Manchester City to claim the Champions League crown.
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Tuchel’s Chelsea then lost out 11-10 on penalties to Liverpool in this term’s Carabao Cup final on February 27.
The Blues face Crystal Palace in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final in a return to Wembley that Tuchel has conceded will be laced with unfinished business.
“It helps that we got to Wembley and that we have a knockout game in the FA Cup and something to fight for straight away,” said Tuchel.
“The next big challenge, and we’re so close to a final and so close to another title you can fight for.
“That helps to shift the focus because we have been in a final there already this season, the Carabao Cup final. We’ve lost both our finals at Wembley. You feel you have something to prove.
“And it comes at a good time because there is a lot of reward and a lot to play for. It is easier to shift the focus than with a normal Premier League game.”
Chelsea’s season took a worrying mini turn with damaging home defeats, 4-1 to Brentford in the Premier League and 3-1 to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The Blues hit back in style by thrashing Southampton 6-0 at St Mary’s, then beating Madrid 3-2 in the Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday.
Chelsea came agonisingly close to taking their Champions League defence into the semi-finals, only for Karim Benzema’s extra-time goal to knock out the Blues 5-4 on aggregate.
Tuchel revealed he has let the wider ramifications of the Champions League exit sink in slowly with his players, insisting he has no concerns about their readiness for another vital clash on Sunday.
“We will let them process it as a team;…
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