Reds gear up for Emirates FA Cup final v Chelsea FC

Wembley Stadium awaits as Liverpool Football Club prepare to take on Chelsea FC in the Emirates FA Cup Final on Saturday evening.

It’s the first of two finals before the end of May and another chance for glory as Jürgen Klopp takes his Liverpool FC side to Wembley Stadium for Saturday’s FA Cup Final against Chelsea FC.

With the Reds having won the Carabao Cup in February and also booked a place in the UEFA Champions League Final against Real Madrid later this month – while also chasing their second Premier League title in three seasons – an exceptional season for Klopp and his team is reaching its climax.

Defender Virgil van Dijk, who has played a massive role in his side’s pursuit of glory on all four fronts this season after returning from a serious knee injury, can’t wait for the chance to add an FA Cup winner’s medal to his list of honours.

“It’s a special competition,” Van Dijk told Liverpoolfc.com. “Obviously we didn’t achieve enough over the last couple of years to be close to the final, unfortunately, for different reasons. But now we are in the final and we want to make it a special one.

“This is the only trophy we didn’t win so far as a group of players since I’ve been at the club. Now we have a big chance - against a fantastic Chelsea.

“It has been maybe too long ago since the last time we won it as a club. We have a good chance to get this in our cabinet as well. We know how tough it’s going to be, we’ve seen already in the Carabao Cup final. We’ll see. We’ll go there and hopefully [have] a fantastic day out again.”

Thiago Alcantara, meanwhile, is taking motivation from the disappointment of missing February’s Carabao Cup win over Thomas Tuchel’s Blues, having picked up a hamstring problem in the warm-up.

The Spanish international revealed: "It's a moment where you are just frustrated. You just calm down a bit, you try to be cold enough to face the final. It was as it was.

"We won it and, for sure, it's bittersweet that you don't play that game, but you're happy for the team.

"Lifting a trophy is a special moment but it was more for the frustrating situation that everybody had the last few years. 

"It was because of what we have been through and was a kind of celebration of overcoming that situation."

The opportunity to win the Emirates FA Cup - the oldest cup competition in world football - is one Thiago is determined not to pass up.

"We came from other countries - not just me but other players - and just met this amazing competition,” added Thiago.

"We are really excited to play - not just the competition itself but a final. We're ready for it.

"It doesn't matter if we didn't win [it] before or for a long time. It's just about a trophy that we can win and we add in our backpack this new challenge. We're looking forward to it. 

"Wembley is an amazing stadium. It's special itself but then you know that Wembley is used for special moments. There's different context and we're ready to go to London."

In terms of team news, Klopp confirmed on Thursday that Fabinho will miss the final due to the injury he picked up in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa FC, but may still be involved in this season’s remaining fixtures against Southampton FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in the Premier League, and the UEFA Champions League Final on May 28.

"There's a good chance that he will be back whenever - not for the weekend but whenever,” said the boss.

Finally, Alisson Becker has paid tribute to Sadio Mané following the striker’s brilliant headed winner against Villa.

The Senegal captain has been in inspired form since returning from his country’s victorious African Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year, and his goalkeeper knows how important Mané is to his fellow teammates, manager and the club’s supporters.

“Sadio is amazing and all of the time he is helping us,” Alisson said.

“I believe he is even more confident because of the Africa Cup of Nations title. He is scoring and helping us in the games, playing in a different position to what he was used to playing.

“A fantastic player for us and I’m really happy to have him in my team.”

With the games coming thick and fast and the club chasing a number of trophies, Alisson knows just how much character is needed in the dressing room in order to be successful.

“Sometimes when you are tired, you just need to put into your mind you can go for extra,” added the 29-year-old.

“And if you go with passion and do everything that you can, you see normally that you have a little bit of energy.

“When you look to the players on your side as well, they play with intensity.

“Our team is a team that needs to play with passion because when we look to each other, it’s something that helps you and gives you extra energy.”