The Blues completed the formality in north London, bagging a 1-0 win to set up a final date with one of Liverpool or Arsenal.
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Chelsea’s dream run under Thomas Tuchel keeps continuing after the Blues defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final to reach the title match. In the two-legged tie, Chelsea FC secured a healthy 2-0 lead over Spurs in last week’s first leg at Stamford Bridge. The Blues completed the formality in north London, bagging a 1-0 win to set up a final date with one of Liverpool or Arsenal. Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta is happy with the team reaching the Championship match but has already set his sights firmly on lifting the trophy at Wembley next month.
The action-packed second leg had its moments, with VAR intervening on three occasions to deny the home team two penalties and a goal. “Firstly we are happy to get into another final,” said the Blues skipper, as per their club’s website. “Of course the game was maybe not our best, we could have scored more goals, we could have controlled the game better, but we got the job done. Through two legs we beat them 3-0 and now we have to prepare for the final.
“I think we were better than them. In the first leg we could have scored more goals. In the second game we started really well but the second half we didn’t have real chances. We could have made better choices and picked the right player to be more dangerous and we lost a bit of control. So at the end maybe the feeling is a bit different, but of course we’re happy to go through.”
READ MORE – Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 to enter Carabao Cup final
In-form Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger headed in the winning goal, as Azpilicueta continued to praise the German centre-back. “He’s getting very dangerous, scoring goals. He is a great threat on set-plays and in this game he made the difference with the goal and, of course, with his defensive contribution,” he explained.
“Toni has developed really well since he arrived. He has had a very big impact. Now he’s even a big threat on set-plays, which is amazing. The aggression that he has, the way he plays with the ball, it’s a pleasure to have him in our team.”
It will be Chelsea’s third final since Thomas Tuchel arrived as head coach a year ago following last season’s Champions League and FA Cup final runs. “In less than one year to be in three finals, it is amazing, but now we want to win. When we lost together in the FA Cup final, it hurts a lot, and now we have the chance with the Carabao Cup and we have to go step by step. I think the team is improving a lot, we have still big room for more improvement and we have to keep working,” he explained.
“That’s the aim when we start every competition, we want to get as far as possible and fight for trophies. Of course we are happy to get through, to play in another final, but now we want more, we want the trophy. Once you get in the final you don’t want to just be happy to be there, you want to win it, and we will do our best.”
“A trophy is a trophy. Here at Chelsea we don’t make selections of trophies, we go for everything. The big ones have more impact, but what we all want is to be able to celebrate silverware with the fans at the end of the season.”
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