Di Matteo: Cup places available
CHELSEA interim manager Roberto di Matteo has urged his fringe players to force their way into his FA Cup final plans by beating Newcastle to strengthen their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.
The Italian insists his side are focused on tonight’s game, in which they could climb two places from sixth, though he admitted his players’ form would be a consideration for Saturday’s showpiece against Liverpool at Wembley, with Fernando Torres among those to impress lately.
“We’ll see how the game goes tomorrow and then I’ll be thinking about Saturday,” he said. “I look a little more back and look at maybe the last three or four weeks and the way we played and the different positions and so on.”
Di Matteo believes his squad’s experience could prove decisive in the four-way fight to claim the remaining two Champions League qualifying places. He said: “We have players that have been in this situation before and have certainly the experience to be playing in all these important games with a lot of pressure on us. It could prove decisive.”
He also confirmed that he is confident defenders Gary Cahill and David Luiz will regain fitness in time for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich on May 19, something that is of greater significance with captain John Terry suspended. “Hopefully they’ll be ready before,” said Di Matteo. “I have hope, but I don’t know yet.”