Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6530
    +0.0012 (+0.18%)
     
  • OIL

    83.11
    -0.06 (-0.07%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,254.80
    +16.40 (+0.73%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    107,933.34
    -766.93 (-0.71%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6044
    +0.0010 (+0.16%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0904
    +0.0001 (+0.01%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,254.69
    -26.15 (-0.14%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,952.62
    +20.64 (+0.26%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,807.37
    +47.29 (+0.12%)
     
  • DAX

    18,492.49
    +15.40 (+0.08%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,369.44
    +201.37 (+0.50%)
     

Reece James: I’ve been dreaming of winning FA Cup with Chelsea FC since I was a kid

 (The FA via Getty Images)
(The FA via Getty Images)

Reece James is desperate to avoid another Wembley heartbreak in tomorrow’s FA Cup Final and fulfil his childhood dream of lifting a trophy with Chelsea.

After experiencing the pain of defeat to Arsenal last year, the defender is determined to make amends — and believes victory against Leicester will set up an unforgettable end to the season.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are also in the Champions League Final and have it in their own hands to secure a top-four finish. But their immediate focus is on the Cup, with the memories of last year’s 2-1 defeat still fresh in the mind.

James said: “Losing a final, you just switch everything off and go home. Obviously, it was a terrible feeling losing a final against a London rival as well. You’ve gone all the way and at the last stage you want to get your hands on the trophy. When you don’t achieve that, it is disappointing.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I don’t think you need to lose a final to know you don’t want to lose. Hopefully, this time, we can put that right, get our hands on the trophy. Hopefully, this is the first of two this season.”

The FA via Getty Images
The FA via Getty Images

James added: “I always dreamed of playing in a final as a Chelsea player growing up. It has always been my dream to win trophies for the club.

“Growing up as a kid, I watched the first team lift many trophies and coming through the academy we lifted many trophies, played in many finals and won many competitions.

“So I think it’s part of Chelsea’s DNA to win trophies. Hopefully, we can do that again.

“It would be my first trophy for the club and that would be another dream come true.”

The very fact Chelsea are on the verge of an FA Cup and Champions League double underlines the remarkable turnaround managed by Tuchel after Frank Lampard was sacked in January.

James said: “Obviously I was upset, because Frank is the one that took me under his wing, introduced me to the first team and gave me the opportunity to play for the club. I was devastated that he was going.

“It was a crazy situation for anyone to walk into or walk out of, but [Tuchel] made it very clear what our goals were for this season. One of them was to finish in the top four and the other one was winning trophies. We are in two finals, so that is definitely possible.”

Read More

Joe Cole: Let’s not forget Frank Lampard role in Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea FC success story

Champions League final moved to Porto with 6,000 fans per club for Chelsea FC vs Man City clash

Premier League top four race as it stands: What Liverpool FC win means for Chelsea and West Ham