I won the Champions League with Chelsea… but Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool is BIGGER, says Ben Chilwell
A win for Chelsea will see them earn a European spot
BEN CHILWELL believes lifting the Carabao Cup could be bigger for Chelsea than their 2021 Champions League win.
Left-back Chilwell, 27, was a major part of the Blues team which charged to Euro glory.
He captains Mauricio Pochettino’s young side against Liverpool as the club bid to win their first trophy since Todd Boehly’s £4.2billion takeover in 2022.
Chilwell said: “The prestige of the Champions League is obviously higher but I’d say this is more important in terms of where the club is now.
“With the group we have, such a young group, such a new group, where there has been ups and downs this season.
“To get this one as a team and as a staff and with the fans, it would be massive for the club and arguably bigger than the Champions League in the way we want the club to go.”
Chilwell is still smarting from Chelsea’s recent 4-1 pummelling at Anfield.
And he is out for revenge for defeats by the Merseysiders in the Carabao AND FA Cup finals in 2022.
He said: “This is massive for many reasons. The fact we’ve lost to them twice in two finals.
“We want to get revenge. Secondly, it’s a major trophy. Everyone wants to win major trophies. It’s a cup final at Wembley.
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“For me it doesn’t get much bigger than a cup final at Wembley.
“Then for the team in general if we can get that first trophy as a team it can give us the confidence, drive and hunger to get more.”
Victory in Sunday’s final will give Chelsea a European place again after a season out — even if it is the Europa Conference League.
Chilwell said: “Everyone wants to be involved in European football.
“With the young team we have now a lot of players haven’t played European football.
“It’s another step to growing as a team and experience not just playing in Europe but also the experience in playing 50-55 games a season, which we want to be doing.
“The main focus on Sunday is to win and then the silver lining of that win is we get European football as well.”