Mata: CL loss will be unacceptable

Blues ace committed to winning it all

By Zain Alvi | 17th May 2012

Chelsea winger Juan Mata is desperate to win the UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich tomorrow evening not only to win Europe’s biggest club competition, but also to be in it next season.

The Blues will pay a huge price for their poor Premier League season if they lose to Bayern in Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Lifting the FA Cup earlier this month guarantees their involvement in Europa League next season but as far as Mata is concerned, a club of Chelsea’s stature simply cannot afford to miss out on Champions League football.

“We want to play in the Champions League and we want to win this year to play next season. Our objective is to play in the Champions League. We’re only thinking of winning and, after that, let’s see,” Mata was quoted in Daily Mail.

The Spaniard added: “We won the FA Cup. It’s true that in the Premier League, it hasn’t been an easy season for us. But now we have the chance to play in the Champions League next year by winning the trophy, so it will be amazing for us to win it.”

Mata acknowledges that the task at hand is rather difficult. The Blues play Bayern on the German side’s turf, with key suspensions such as John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, and Ramires increasing the pressure on the West Londoners.

Furthermore, the uncertainty over interim manager Roberto Di Matteo has not helped, despite the manager insisting that everyone at the club remains focused on tomorrow’s highly anticipated final.

The 24-year old Mata, though, is also aware that the magnitude of the occasions means that no excuses are acceptable.

“I have a lot of confidence in them (Chelsea’s match-day squad). I think no matter who plays, we are Chelsea. We have 24, 25 players ready to play,” Mata elaborated.

“We are only thinking of the final. We are all happy with Robbie – he’s a very, very good manager – but we don’t know (what will happen),” he concluded.