Mauricio Pochettino openly acknowledges the risky play of Chelsea's Malo Mudri during the Carabao Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough, resulting in the player being substituted at halftime in Chelsea's dominant 6-1 victory on Tuesday evening.
The high-stakes match secured Chelsea's spot at Wembley on February 25th, where they are set to face either Fulham or Liverpool. Despite the comprehensive win, Mudri faced challenges in the first half, leading to his early departure.
Pochettino pointed out that Mudri received a yellow card and engaged in a potentially precarious action towards the end of the first half. Fearing a second yellow card, the coaching staff opted not to take any unnecessary risks and substituted Mudri with Noni Maduk at halftime.
Responding to questions about his team's tendency to accumulate needless yellow cards, Pochettino acknowledged the issue, emphasizing the importance of avoiding unnecessary risks. The manager expressed concern about the potential second yellow card for Mudri, deeming it a risk they were unwilling to take.
Looking ahead to Chelsea's upcoming trip to Wembley, Pochettino sees it as a crucial opportunity to enhance the mentality and confidence of his players. While acknowledging the challenge posed by formidable opponents like Fulham or Liverpool, he stressed the significance of belief within the team.
Pochettino emphasized that reaching the final is a vital step for building confidence, trust, and motivation, especially considering the absence of Champions League participation for his team. He sees the experience of playing at Wembley as instrumental in shaping the team's mentality and fostering a winning attitude, which he believes is crucial for a relatively new squad like his.
