https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/04/11/
kovacic-on-tuchel-s-team-meeting-and-drawing-on-inspiration-from
Kovacic on Tuchel's team meeting and drawing on inspiration from historic
European comebacks
11 Apr 2022
Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic admits the team meeting following the
first leg defeat to Real Madrid helped give the group a much-needed lift
ahead of last weekend's win at Southampton.
https://i.imgur.com/UfjO1sM.jpg
The Blues were defeated in our first two games following the international
break before returning to winning ways in style with the 6-0 thumping at
St Mary's and the Croatian believes analysing the Champions League loss to
the Spanish side was pivotal to our reaction on Saturday.
'It is never easy to come back after an international break, but it is not
an excuse that we underperformed in the last two games. It was necessary
to have the talk, to see where we can do better and where we did good,'
Mateo says.
https://i.imgur.com/t1k1Tu6.jpg
Kova in action in the first leg at the Bridge
'It was a good meeting which is always important, as it gave us a good
lift. We were ready for the game against Southampton and we need to do the
same tomorrow evening.
'Of course, we have our chances [of progressing] and we're motivated to
show our best tomorrow. We didn't have our best game and the result was
not good in the last game but there is hope. It will be a quality game and
we're looking forward to it.'
Kovacic was a half-time substitute in the first leg at Stamford Bridge
last Wednesday and while admitting his disappointment at not playing from
the start, he says he has full confidence in the manager's selection.
'It's always difficult when you don't play, no matter the opponent,' the
midfielder added. 'The manager always decides who will play and who will
not.
'I was prepared to come in when it is ready for my call because we are a
team, and you cannot play twenty players at once. The most important thing
is that we are together and ready to show our best tomorrow.'
The Blues will need to win the tie at the Santiago Bernabeu by three goals
or more in normal time to progress to the last four of the competition,
and Mateo draws on a number of historical comebacks in European
competition, from both Real and Chelsea, as motivation.
'There have been many comebacks and I was included in one!' Kova explains.
'In the 2015/16 season, we [Real Madrid] lost the first game 2-0 at
Wolfsburg and we came to the Bernabeu and we won 3-0.
https://i.imgur.com/zQ3xBmU.jpg
The moment Branislav Ivanovic's goal completed a monumental comeback
against Napoli
'I also saw the other day the game when Chelsea played against Napoli. We
lost 3-1 at Napoli and at Stamford Bridge we came back [to win 5-4].
Football is always surprising, and of course we need to be ready more than
100 per cent to be able to complete a comeback.'