Jack Grealish says Manchester City have the perfect opportunity to put their Champions League exit behind them when they face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final
Jack Grealish has insisted that the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea is the ideal fixture for Manchester City to bounce back from their European exit. The winger is eager to move past his team’s penalty shootout defeat to Real Madrid, which put an end to Man City’s defence of the Champions League trophy came to an end.
Despite dominating the second leg of their quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium, Man City’s dreams of a consecutive treble were dashed, leaving them with no time to brood over the loss. Chelsea will be aiming to double the misery for Pep Guardiola’s side as they prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final showdown
Chelsea may have endured another inconsistent campaign so far but did reach the Carabao Cup final and will be looking to go one step better in the sport’s oldest cup competition. However, Grealish has claimed that facing Chelsea so soon after their Champions League disappointment will only increase Man City’s levels of motivation.
“We’ve not been used to losing, especially in the last couple of years. We always knew [Real Madrid] was going to be a tough game against one of the best teams in the world,” Grealish said. “It went down to penalties and it’s never nice to go out on penalties. Luckily enough for us we’ve got another game within three days where we can go and put it right.
“Sometimes it’s better when it’s like that. It’s better when you can put it right straight away rather than waiting and dwelling on it for a couple of weeks. It’s the perfect game for us to put it right.”
Chelsea will still have hopes of reaching the European places through the Premier League but winning the FA Cup would be a major feat for the Blues, given their struggles in the last two seasons. Meanwhile, Chelsea will be tasked with denying Man City the opportunity to claim a different type of treble, having already won the Club World Cup, while Grealish believes he is getting back to his best form ahead of this summer’s Euros.
“This year, if we win the Premier League and the FA Cup it would be a hugely successful season,” Grealish said. “Hopefully we can go on and do that and that’s our aim.”
“It’s been difficult,” he admitted, reflecting on the contrast with his previous season’s success. “At the moment, I feel good and I feel confident. At the start of the season, I don’t know, I just didn’t feel like I was playing well really. I didn’t really feel that fit if I’m honest.
“But I feel good now. I feel fit and I feel like I’m playing with good confidence. Hopefully I can bring that into the end of the season. We’ve still got a lot to play for. The season is nowhere near over yet. I still feel like I’ve got a big part to play.”