It’s a massive year of seismic change for Mason Mount and Chelsea FC, but a lot of the major issues have already been settled. We know who the new owner is- Todd Boehly, as Roman Abramovich recorded a record sale price for his most prized asset. We also know that Chelsea will finish in the top four, as the 3-0 win over Leeds United all but clinched it yesterday. What we don’t know, however, is if they’ll end the season with one trophy (the Blues won the FIFA Club World in February) or two.
Mason Mount, one of the club’s most undroppable players, was asked about the importance of finishing in the top four, and besting Liverpool in the FA Cup final on Saturday,
FA Cup Final FYIs
Kick: 4:45pm GMT, Wembley Stadium, London
TV: None in US (sadly and inexplicably), streaming only on ESPN+
Team News:ย Chelseaย ย Liverpool
Starting XI Predictions: Chelseaย ย Liverpool
After Extra Time Podcast: ย Spotify ย ย Apple Pods
Odds: Chelsea 1/2ย ย Liverpool 13/8
“Itโs massive,” the English international said in an interview with Chelsea’s 5th Stand app.
“You look over the last couple years weโve managed to secure the top four. Two years ago we got it with fourth position, the next year we won the Champions League. So you know how massive it is to look ahead to next season and what we can achieve as a team. Itโs a fresh start and you go again.
“To kind of ruin everything that weโve done this whole season with a couple of games left, it would be heartbreaking for us. So we know what we need to do now.”
How Chelsea Reached the FA Cup Final
- Third round: Chelsea 5 Chesterfield 1
- Fourth round: Chelsea 2 Plymouth Argyle 1ย (aet)
- Fifth round: Luton Town 2 Chelsea 3
- Quarter-final: Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 2
- Semi-final: Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 0
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel discussed the magnitude of this weekend’s match as well; in the program notes for the Leeds United fixture.
โThis is a huge match in every sense,โ Tuchelย wrote. โThese days, if you play in the final against either Liverpool or Manchester City, it cannot be bigger.โ
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager ofย The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net)ย andย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ as well asย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He has regularly appeared inย WGN,ย Sports Illustratedย and theย Chicago Tribune,ย and heย co-hosts theย After Extra Time podcast, part ofย Edge of the Crowd Network.ย Follow himย onย Twitterย andย Instagram.ย
