https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/05/24/
kovacic-ready-to-make-his-mark-on-the-final
Kovacic ready to make his mark on the final
24 May 2021
Mateo Kovacic says he is feeling good after returning from injury and
looking forward to playing his part on Saturday, having won the Champions
League three times at Real Madrid without appearing in the final.
https://i.imgur.com/htQzEMo.jpg
The Croatian returned to action last week after a lengthy absence to come
off the bench in the win over Leicester and was back in the Chelsea
starting line-up at Aston Villa yesterday. Now he hopes to be in the best
shape possible to help our pursuit of silverware when we face Manchester
City in Porto this weekend.
'It's not easy to come back after more than one month, but I feel good,'
he said. 'I felt good in training and against Leicester, yesterday maybe I
missed a little bit of sharpness, had a little bit of tiredness, but I
think it's normal.
https://i.imgur.com/RlKPT1F.jpg
Kovacic made his first start since April at Villa Park
'It was a tough season, a long season, it's coming to an end and we feel a
little bit tired, but we need to rest well today and tomorrow and be
prepared for a big game, because it's the biggest game in European
football and we will be ready for that, for sure.'
This massive match against Man City could hold special significance for
Kovacic if he is able to be involved. Despite being part of the Real
Madrid side which won the Champions League in three consecutive years from
2016 to 2018, he didn't make it off the bench for the Spanish side in any
of those finals.
'It would be huge for me to play in the final, it would mean a lot.
Obviously I was three years at Madrid and unfortunately I didn't play in a
final. It's never easy but I played my part in that team, which was if
somebody was injured or could not play I was always there to help. That
was my part there, at Chelsea it is a little bit different.
'When I left Madrid I said I would try my best and work very hard to one
time reach the final and play and now thanks to God we are here, we play a
big game on Saturday, but in the end it's just important that the team
wins. It never matters who will be the main figure or the star of the
game, the most important thing is just the team and I think at Chelsea we
have shown that we are a family.
https://i.imgur.com/fIxnUZS.jpg
Kovacic shows off his Champions League winner's medal alongside team-mate
Luka Modric in 2017
'I played my part in Madrid. Not a big part like I'm maybe doing here now,
and it's different. It's nice to reach a Champions League final with
Chelsea and of course I came here to win trophies, which is the most
important thing as Chelsea is a club that is known for winning trophies.
'So it's a huge achievement to get here, but we haven't won anything yet.
We have a big game on Saturday and we will do everything to win it.'
However, he says that not being able to play his part in those previous
finals doesn't take away from his pride at the victories in Spain, as it
takes the contribution of every player for a club to win the Champions
League.
'All the medals are in a special place because it's big to win a Champions
League title. It's never easy and I was in Madrid, won it three times, not
playing in the finals, but still I was there and always the team wins.
'Now, when some players maybe will not play on Saturday, they just need to
know that this is a team sport and we win as a team and we lose as a team.
In the end it doesn't matter who will play.
https://i.imgur.com/v2nqeij.jpg
'Of course somebody will be disappointed and it's normal, but in finals we
need to be a team, all 26 players, to show everybody played his part.
Maybe some bigger, some smaller, but this is a team sport and we will do
our best to be a team, a family, on Saturday.'
Kovacic is one of just two players in the current Chelsea squad who has
reached a Champions League final before, alongside Thiago Silva, although
he feels this young Blues side won't suffer from a lack of experience in
Porto after coming so far over the past two seasons.
'A few years ago I was always the youngest in my team and now I see so
many young players at my side. It's amazing that they experience something
like this, at such a young age they are reaching a Champions League final.
'I don't think I need to help them with anything because they are
motivated, they want to win, these young players already have experience.
They've already reached FA Cup finals, they play for Chelsea, the second
season in a row they are in the top four. The guys have experience and we
are here to stay together and do our best to win on Saturday.'