BEN CHILWELL says Chelsea have “unfinished business” at Wembley after losing FIVE domestic cup finals in a row.
Chilwell skippered Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a Carabao Cup semi-final thrashing of Middlesbrough on Tuesday to book a place in the February 25 showpiece.
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But the England left-back is adamant his club “demands trophies” and they must end their Wembley hoodoo after three straight FA Cup final losses between 2020 and 2022 and two League Cup defeats in 2019 and 2022.
Chilwell said: “It’s three finals we’ve lost since I’ve been at the club, so 100 per cent there is unfinished business.
“I was talking to Thiago Silva in the shower (after the semi-final) and saying how we’ve got unfinished business at Wembley.
“We’ve both been there three times and lost three times, so, for sure, we want to go and win.”
Chilwell only played in one of those finals, against his former club Leicester in the 2021 FA Cup final.
Despite winning the Champions League that same year, Chelsea’s record at Wembley is dismal.
They suffered penalty shoot-out defeats against Liverpool in both major finals in 2022.
Chilwell, who made his first start for three months in the 6-1 second-leg trouncing of Boro, added: “We need to make sure that we really enjoy the experience and soak it in.
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“There’s only a few of us who have won a trophy at Chelsea and it’s a club that demands trophies, so we need to make sure we win.”
Boss Pochettino might have a £1billion squad at his disposal but the Chelsea manager’s route to Wembley has been rocky.
A demanding set of fans, an inexperienced bunch of players and long-term injuries to senior pros have hampered his efforts.
Poch has a proud history of developing young English talent but they say ‘you don’t win anything with kids’ as the Argentine aims to lift his first trophy in English football with a youthful squad.
At 27, and with a Chelsea career ravaged by injuries, Chilwell finds himself as one of Pochettino’s few senior players.
Appointed vice-captain behind fellow full-back Reece James — another frequent injury absentee — Chilwell has revealed some of the new boys have struggled to cope with the demands of playing at a club which hoovered up trophies in the Roman Abramovich era.
But Pochettino ensured Chilwell was kept busy in a leadership role during his lay-off with a hamstring injury.
Chilwell said: “I had a conversation with the manager a few days after I got injured and said ‘now I can’t help on the pitch, how do you want me to help away from it?’
“It was that leadership role, making sure that I’m helping the young boys. Because, for a few of them it’s a big step to come to Chelsea and play in front of demanding fans that want us to win because they are so used to that.”
While their away form has been poor, with five defeats in six on the road, Stamford Bridge is becoming a fortress again — with Aston Villa the visitors in the FA Cup fourth round tomorrow.
Chilwell said: “We’re fighting for two domestic cups. We’re not happy getting to one final, we want to get to the FA Cup final as well.
“It’s eight wins out of nine at the Bridge, so it’s really becoming a good place for us to play and we’re really enjoying playing here.
“The connection between the fans and the players is starting to come back. I’m buzzing to be back. I love playing here, the fans are always so good to me.”
