Chelsea V Man City at Wembley Stadium - Match Preview




Mancini looks for more silverware

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is determined to get his hands on the FA Cup again to feed his hunger for trophies.

Mancini has been a serial winner throughout his managerial career in Italy and England, claiming nine major cups or league titles.

The most recent of them was last season's Barclays Premier League title, an achievement which complemented the three Serie A crowns he won in charge of Inter Milan.

In knockout competitions he won the Coppa Italia four times with Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter before claiming the FA Cup as City boss two years ago.

With this season's league title seemingly out of reach, it is the cup that again represents his best chance of winning more silverware, although there is a tough semi-final against Chelsea to negotiate this weekend.

Mancini said: "I like to win the FA Cup or Premier League - it is important to win.

"In England the FA Cup is an important trophy. We have this chance.

"I don't think it will be easy because Sunday we have a difficult game, and then after the final, but it will be important.

"Every game against Chelsea is difficult. They are a good team in their best moment this season, doing very well and I am happy for (Rafael) Benitez because he is a good manager."

It is a fourth visit to the national stadium for City in just over two years after the semi-final and final of 2011 and the Community Shield match of the same year.

Mancini said: "I think to play at Wembley is fantastic. To play a game there for the FA Cup or Community Shield, with all the supporters there it is a magic moment.

"Wembley is a temple of football. If you play for the FA Cup or for another competition it is always a good game."

City have had the edge over Chelsea in this season's contests, drawing at Stamford Bridge and winning at the Etihad Stadium. They were also victorious when they met in this season's Community Shield at Villa Park.

Mancini intends to give playmaker David Silva until the morning of the match to prove his fitness after suffering a hamstring injury in the latter stages of Monday's win at Manchester United.

Striker Sergio Aguero will also be assessed as his return from a knee injury is carefully managed.

City are yet to concede in the competition after victories over Watford, Stoke, Leeds and Barnsley in previous rounds, in which they have scored a combined 13 goals.

Chelsea's interim boss Rafael Benitez believes he knows how to beat Manchester City.

The Spaniard has studied how his side played against City at Eastlands in February when they lost 2-0 in a match in which Frank Lampard missed a penalty.

Benitez will rotate his squad to bring in fresh legs from the side which progressed to the Europa League semi-finals in midweek and insists he knows the key to reaching what would be his first FA Cup final at Wembley after winning the trophy at the Millennium Stadium with Liverpool in 2006.

Benitez, whose side lie in third place in the Barclays Premier League, seven points behind second-placed City, said: "They're a good team, in a good position in the table and did well against Manchester United the other day.

"We know it'll be difficult, but it's a semi-final in a massive competition.

"We know what we did wrong against them in the league and we'll make sure we don't make the same mistakes.

"They're a good team, a strong squad. They have a manager with experience and they have confidence at the moment. We know we'll have to do our best if we want to progress."

Striker Demba Ba, recovered from an ankle injury, is likely to come in and defender Ryan Bertrand is also fit again after illness. Ashley Cole (hamstring) and Gary Cahill (knee), however, remain unavailable.

Benitez said: "We've tried to manage our squad and we have players with some fresh legs. Hopefully we will be fine. We have too many games and we have to use the squad. Everyone has to be on their toes but they are doing really well."

Source: PA

Source: PA