Jose Mourinho vows to go for glory in Carabao Cup final

Jose Mourinho insists ‘if there is any secret it is to take it seriously’ as he moves step closer to a FIFTH League Cup and a chance to end Tottenham’s 13-year trophy drought after winning his ‘biggest game at Spurs’ against Brentford

• Jose Mourinho has guided Tottenham to the final of the Carabao Cup this year 
• The Portuguese boss is now on the verge of ending club’s 13-year trophy drought
• At full-time Mourinho said the secret is just to respect the competition
• Spurs will face either Manchester City or United in the Wembley final

Tottenham are one win away from ending their 13-year trophy drought after reaching the Carabao Cup final.

Goals from Moussa Sissoko and Heung-Min Son against Brentford, who ended the game with ten men, sent Spurs on their way to Wembley where Jose Mourinho will be aiming to get his hands on the trophy for a fifth time against either his former club Manchester United or Manchester City.

Spurs’ last trophy was the 2008 League Cup but Mourinho has won this competition more than any other and no manager has lifted it more than the Portuguese manager who has triumphed on four occasions.

Jose Mourinho insists the secret is to respect the league cup after Tottenham made the final

Mourinho has always treated the competition seriously winning it three times at Chelsea and once at United. It was the opening trophy in both of his two Chelsea spells and also the first major silverware of his United reign and he described the Brentford clash as his ‘biggest game at Spurs’ in his pre-match press conference.

Mourinho is now targeting the trophy once more to kick-start a period of success at Spurs and said: ‘I came to England in 2004 and I remember in that period I had to learn the meaning of the cups here and took it seriously.

‘If there is any secret it is to take it seriously, respect what English clubs are, English lower division teams are and try not to be surprised in any of the games with teams with smaller quality and when you have a big game like we had with Chelsea [in round four], go serious and with ambitions.

Spurs swept aside Brentford and will face either Manchester City or United in the final

‘If you see the winners you realise that the big clubs they want to win it.

‘Who was the last winner apart from the normal top six? Swansea [in 2013]? I remember Manchester City winning a lot of times, Chelsea a lot of times, Manchester Unired winning a few times, Liverpool in finals, Arsenal.

‘So the big clubs they care about it, no doubt, and the final says a lot – Tottenham v Manchester United or Manchester City.’

Sissoko said: ‘Our last final was the Champions League final and we lost it. We were all disappointed for many months and now we are going to have the opportunity to play a final at Wembley.

‘You don’t play a final you just have to win it, it doesn’t matter the way. We are going to try our best and try and bring that trophy home.’

The final will not take place until April 25 after it was put back in the hope that coronavirus restrictions will be eased and some supporters will be able to attend.

Mourinho said: ‘I support April 25. Give us some time, hopefully the world will change and improve a little bit.

‘I’m not praying for too much, a full Wembley, but maybe we can have some supporters.’

After Sissoko’s early header, Spurs managed to kill off the tie in the 70th minute through Son’s goal, not long after Ivan Toney had a header ruled out following a tight offside.

Mourinho will have to overcome either Ole Gunnar Solskajer or Pep Guardiola in the final

Brentford manager Thomas Frank described defeat in Brentford’s first ever major semi-final as heart-breaking but insisted he was proud of his players.

He also hoped midfielder Josh Dasilva would be spared a three-game ban following his late dismissal after catching Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on the shin with a studs up challenge as he appeared to slip.

Referee Mike Dean showed Dasilva a red card after reviewing the 84th minute incident on the pitch side monitor.

Frank said: ‘You can give it and I understand why it’s given but I really hope it won’t be three games.

‘He slipped and if you know the player he has never done something like that in his whole career.’

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