Mauricio Pochettino has issued a challenge to the inconsistent Chelsea, urging them to view the FA Cup as a potential pathway into European competition. As they gear up for the third-round clash against Preston on Saturday, Pochettino recognizes the tournament as a source of solace for the Premier League team.

Sitting 11 points adrift of the fifth spot in the league, Chelsea faces a challenging quest for qualification in the Champions League or Europa League next season. Pochettino sees the FA Cup as an opportunity to secure a spot in the Europa League by triumphing in May.

Additionally, Chelsea aims to secure a backup position in the Europa Conference League by winning the League Cup. Pochettino’s side is set to face Middlesbrough in the League Cup semi-final over two legs, commencing on Tuesday, with the second leg scheduled for January 23.

Pochettino expressed optimism about Chelsea’s prospects in the FA Cup, emphasizing the importance of building a successful run, starting with the upcoming match against Preston.

“The Carabao (League) Cup and the FA Cup are competitions we need to try to go far in. But we need to build our run step by step, and the first step is Saturday. It’s a really important competition for us because we are not in Europe,” Pochettino stated on Friday.

Acknowledging the need for growth and improvement in the Premier League to secure a European spot next season, Pochettino sees the FA Cup and League Cup as viable avenues to achieve that goal.

To emphasize Chelsea’s commitment to a strong FA Cup campaign, Pochettino confirmed that there wouldn’t be wholesale changes from the team that secured a 3-2 victory at Luton in their last Premier League outing. While hinting at a possible start for striker Armando Broja, Pochettino noted that Nkunku might not start due to some issues during the week.

“We are going to treat it like a Premier League game. Just because it’s the FA Cup and it’s a Championship team, we are going to respect Preston. Broja is going to be a possibility to play, but Nkunku is not going to start. He suffered some issues during the week,” Pochettino explained.