Mason Mount wants to put the heartbreak of back-to-back FA Cup final defeats behind him this weekend and ensure Chelsea close out what has been a difficult and unpredictable 2021/22 campaign by defeating Liverpool and claiming their third piece of silverware this season.
The Blues have already claimed the UEFA Super Cup and lifted the Club World Cup this term, but a domestic triumph eluded Thomas Tuchel and his players in February as they were beaten in the Carabao Cup final on penalties. Their opponents that day? Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
Mount is hopeful things will be different this time around – and the academy graduate will go into the game at Wembley on Saturday in a buoyant mood, having scored and assisted in the 3-0 Premier League victory over Leeds United on Wednesday night at Elland Road.
There will also be extra motivation for the 23-year-old, given his previous FA Cup final experiences. Mount was in the Chelsea side that reached the showpiece game in 2020 but suffered defeat to Arsenal. And 12 months ago, the England international couldn't stop Leicester City from winning the world's oldest club competition.
"I've spoken a lot about how much it would mean to me to win a domestic trophy. So now is the opportunity to really achieve it and go for it," Mount told BBC Sport. "For me to win the FA Youth Cup in the academy – two FA Youth cups actually – and then to go on and lose two finals with the first team, it's heartbreaking. We have another opportunity. Hopefully, it's third time lucky."
The final will take place amid the backdrop of the takeover of Chelsea by a consortium led by U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly. That process – which started with Roman Abramovich deciding to put the club up for sale in February – has proved a distraction for Tuchel, his players, and supporters alike.
Still, with a little more than a week of the season to play, Chelsea are on the cusp of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League and securing Champions League football for next season. And if they are able to overcome Liverpool at Wembley and claim their third trophy of the campaign, Mount believes it will have been a successful one for the Blues.
"We have to secure top four, that's massive for us going into next season," he explained." To win three trophies would be massive, and I think you could look at it as a successful season even though it's been up and down and there's so much going on. We could look back and be proud about what we achieved."
It's not only the Chelsea men's side, however, which has a big final to play this weekend. Less than 24 hours after Tuchel's side face Liverpool, the women's team will be taking on Man City in an FA Cup final of their own. Victory for both would be an impressive feat and testament to the winning mentality that has been instilled across all levels of the club.
"What we've achieved this season with the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup and what the women have achieved, it's brilliant to see us both doing big things," Mount, who spoke alongside Chelsea women's midfielder Erin Cuthbert, said. "Now, on the same weekend, we can achieve even bigger things and win the FA Cup, and it would be such a special weekend to both do it. We're hoping that is the case."
