Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side are chasing four trophies this season, although the Premier League title has seemingly slipped through their fingers. Photo: Reuters
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/football/article/3177745/fa-cup-final-chelsea-happy-be-bad-guys-against-liverpool-says-tuchel Football
FA Cup final: Chelsea happy to be the ‘bad guys’ against Liverpool, says Tuchel
- London club out to avenge League Cup defeat and looking to avoid losing 3 FA Cup finals in a row
- Tuchel says Liverpool boss Klopp loves painting his sides as underdogs which is why neutrals support them
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and rival Jurgen Klopp will face each other for the 19th time as managers in Saturday’s FA Cup final. Photo: DPA
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel believes his side is unlikely to find much support among neutrals when they take on Liverpool in the FA Cup final, but said that they do not mind being the “bad guys” as long as they lift the trophy.
Tuchel’s comments came days after Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claimed “everyone” in England supported Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool as the two teams battle it out for the Premier League title.
“[Klopp] is the master of being the underdog. He can talk you into being the underdog against Villarreal and against Benfica, and it’s a miracle how they even draw against them,” Tuchel said.
“He does it all the time. That’s part of it, where the sympathy comes.”
Chelsea, third in the league, will be out to avenge their League Cup final defeat by Liverpool earlier this season and also avoid losing three FA Cup finals in a row.
“There’s nothing to be jealous of – Klopp is a fantastic guy. When he trained Dortmund, the whole country loved Dortmund. Now he trains Liverpool and you have the feeling the whole country loves Liverpool,” Tuchel said.
“If we are the bad guys tomorrow, then no problem. We take that role. We don’t want to have the sympathy of the country tomorrow – we want to have the trophy.”
Liverpool, who trail leaders City by three points in the league with two games remaining, are chasing a quadruple of trophies after also reaching the Champions League final.
Tuchel said Chelsea had enough about them to deny Liverpool a first FA Cup title in 16 years.
“They allow chances. We proved it – we had big chances in the League Cup final … it’s very hard to exploit these spaces because you need perfect timing. But you can find solutions if you have a perfect day.”