Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has now shared a secret regarding some of his players in the build up to the League Cup final last month.
He claimed in his pre-match press conference that there were some Chelsea players who actually struggled to sleep in the build-up to their appearance at Wembley.
The Blues were defeated in embarrasing circumstances in extra-time against a Liverpool side that were searching all corners of their squad for players to bring on.
The response in whole has been mixed since this game, however Monday’s big win in the Premier League will have done a lot to lift the mood in the camp.
There will be a genuine belief that qualifying for European football for next season is not out of their reach, and they will know another route is available via the FA Cup.
It is widely expected that qualiying for Europe could be a key factor in Pochettino keeping his job at the end of this season.
Some Chelsea players didn’t sleep before League Cup final
If they do win the FA Cup, they would have had to navigate two more games at Wembley, a ground they have notoriously struggled in recently.
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Pochettino has now shared some of their issues were certainly mental when they took on Liverpool last month.
He said: “To have another game, the opportunity to play at Wembley again. Because between you and me, some players didn’t sleep the day before the final.
“And that is only going to allow to be more experienced and to be together in those type of situations, to make us better. But of course, for us to reach another semi-final, it would be so good for us.”
The young Chelsea side were prone to heavy criticism and ridicule off the back of their defeat, and this will no doubt have helped build them up.
They will of course need to get a result on Sunday to worry about any of this, with them facing high-flying Championship side Leicester City.
