Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has reaffirmed his belief in his team’s ability to secure European football next season despite facing an uphill battle for continental qualification.
The EFL Cup final defeat to Liverpool dealt a significant blow to Chelsea’s hopes of a guaranteed European berth.
That defeat, coupled with languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, leaves Pochettino’s men with limited options.
Currently eight points adrift of sixth-placed Manchester United, albeit with a game in hand, Chelsea’s Premier League path to Europe seems increasingly unlikely. However, Pochettino refuses to throw in the towel.
An FA Cup quarter-final clash against Leicester City offers a crucial lifeline for the Blues as success in the tournament would guarantee Europa League participation for next season.
Chelsea have faced plenty of issues this season, including injuries and inconsistency.
However, Pochettino, whose future at the Bridge has come under scrutiny, remains positive about his team’s ability to overcome these obstacles and achieve their European objective.
“For me, it’s about to believe,” said the Chelsea boss in a pre-match press conference. “I really believe we can succeed. We analyse all the circumstances.
“We got to a final, the first trophy we were there, and we fully deserved after 90 minutes to win the game, beating teams like Brighton and Newcastle to arrive against Liverpool.
“If we fully believe we can win games, then I think we can close to be in the position to get into Europe. Football is about belief.”
After a disappointing 2-2 draw against capital foes Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, Chelsea return to familiar grounds with a home clash against fellow strugglers Newcastle United.
A win for the Blues would return them into the top half of the table, taking them to within five points of the Europa League places, but they’ll need an improved performance to get the better of the Magpies.
Pochettino’s men were on the wrong end of a 4-1 drubbing when both sides faced off at St. James’ Park, and the Blues will be eager to set the record straight when they rematch at the Bridge.
