Chelsea's Emirates FA Cup semi-final hero Enzo Fernandez is looking to take the next step and secure his first domestic trophy with Chelsea in Saturday's showpiece Emirates FA Cup Final.
Enzo, looking back at the semi-final against Leeds, what do you remember about your goal?
I’m very happy about my goal. We needed to win in such a beautiful semi-final to have the opportunity to play at Wembley again. It was so important, and well, I am very happy to have been able to score the goal, help the team, and be in another final.
What did it mean to you to score what proved to be the winning goal in a stadium like Wembley, on such a big occasion?
It was very important – a dream come true. First, being able to play in that stadium, and second, scoring a goal. The truth is, I am very happy about the victory, for helping my teammates and the team to win.
How are you feeling ahead of the final games of the season, preparing for the FA Cup Final and important Premier League fixtures?
Yes, the truth is that the Final at Wembley is coming up and it is a very exciting match. I have always dreamed since I arrived here to win many titles and achieve our goals together. So I am very, very happy to play another final, with a lot of enthusiasm, with a lot of desire.
You have played teams from different levels throughout this Emirates FA Cup run. How have you found that experience?
The experience has been very good. You sometimes have to face teams from the Championship or lower divisions and the truth is that as I always say, I prepare myself individually for every game to play to the maximum, with the same desire, with the same enthusiasm, with being focused on winning.
How does the FA Cup compare to other cup competitions you have played in your career?
Well, I’ve had the chance to play in Argentina and in Portugal where we also had to play lower-division teams. They always play for their lives, against much bigger teams. So the experience is always very nice, they are difficult matches where the opponent wants to show themselves, wants to beat us. I enjoy every moment and I take every match with a lot of responsibility.
You have already achieved a lot of success in your career and won both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea. How much would it mean to win an FA Cup?
I am very excited. I always dream of winning titles. I compete every day. We compete against other rivals too. So I always want to win. I always want to add titles for the club, for my career. So I am very excited and determined to win this title.
You can read the full interview with the Chelsea man in the official Emirates FA Cup Final match programme.
