Olivier Giroud admits Chelsea team-mates were ‘angry’ with him after ending Double dream… but can be their FA Cup ‘lucky charm’ this year
OLIVIER GIROUD said his Chelsea team-mates were “angry” with him for denying them the domestic double last year, but has vowed the be their FA Cup “lucky charm” at Wembley.
The striker who moved across London from Arsenal in January for £18million played a key role in the Gunners Wembley triumph over the Blues last year.
Chelsea face Manchester United in Saturday’s FA Cup final and Giroud is desperate to add another Cup winner's meal to his collection.
He told : “When I arrived in January they were still a bit angry with me but I said, ‘I hope we will carry on the momentum because I can beat any team at Wembley and I will be your lucky charm — let’s hope we do it’.
“I have been unbeaten at Wembley since 2012, obviously first with Arsenal and then with Chelsea for the semi-final.
“Hopefully I will be unbeaten after the final, too.
“It’s a nice record and I want to keep it up.”
Giroud who is on his way to the World Cup this summer is expected to start ahead of Alvaro Morata and insists United are not favourites going into the final.
He added: “I don’t agree with the people that are saying that Manchester United are favourites. It is 50-50.
“Manchester United did well in the title race to finish runners-up but our games against them were equal.
“We won one and they won one. We know that we have the quality to win it.”
Giroud is keen to maintain his close connection with Eden Hazard next season.
The Belgian international has stalled on signing a new long-term deal at Stamford Bridge amid interest from Real Madrid.
Interestingly, Hazard admitted he is waiting to see who the club buy before deciding whether to commit to a new contract.
Giroud continued: “Of course I want Eden to stay — who doesn’t want to play with him?”
“I want to carry on working on our partnership.
“The two of us have only been playing together a short time but we have a good relationship on the field, we play close together because that’s what the manager wants us to do.
“Obviously when we are in the same areas on the pitch we can find ourselves much better.
“We like to play together because we have a good understanding, we have different qualities that complement each other. It is easy to play with him.
“Eden and I are good friends off the pitch as well. He is a nice person, he is easy to get along with.
“We fought for the title in France when I was at Montpellier and he was at Lille.
“I didn’t know him personally then but I never had any doubts that we would form a good understanding."