Leicester boss Claude Puel believes Chelsea will be dealing with more pressure than his side ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday.
Having been eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona during the mid-week, the pressure will be on Antonio Conte’s side to respond, with the FA Cup the only silverware the club can now aim for.
Chelsea last lifted the trophy in 2012, where they beat Leicester at this same stage en route, the last time in which the Foxes reached the last eight. Having lost to Arsenal in the final last year, the Blues’ will be out to ensure their season doesn’t end with a whimper.
Puel has acknowledges the tie is important for the Foxes, but hopes there will be more important games to come this season. In his pre-match press conference, Puel said;
Yes the pressure is on Chelsea. It is the last chance for them to win a trophy.
I think for us it is not just a normal game also. The players wait for these games with desire and without pressure because this team is favourite, but we have good attributes also and we can cause them problems.
We need to give a collective response against this team. It is a big game for the fans and the squad and the club.
Asked if it was Leicester’s biggest game of the season, Puel continued;
I hope not. I hope all the big important games are to come, of course. We will see. I don’t know.
Of course all the games we can play are big. It is a decisive game, more important I don’t know. It is a good opportunity at home, a chance to see perhaps the semi-finals.
For Chelsea it is the same, the last opportunity to win something this season. It is a good challenge, an exciting challenge to play a big team in our stadium in front of our fans.
Meanwhile, Conte has refused to comment on whether Willy Caballero or Thibaut Courtois will start against Leciester.
Caballero has played all FA Cup games so far this season, while Courtois took over as first-choice in the cup for the quarter-finals onwards last season.
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