Mikel: I don’t like Europa

Posted Tuesday, April 09, 2013 by The Sun

Mikel: I don’t like Europa
FRIGHT NIGHT ... John Obi Mikel toils in a Thursday Europa League tie against Steaua Bucharest

JOHN OBI MIKEL has revealed the full agony of Chelsea’s early Champions League KO this season.

The Blues won the most prestigious trophy in European football for the first time last May.

But they then became the first defending champions to fail to qualify from the group stages.

Rafa Benitez’s men are still chasing a Europa League and FA Cup double this season.

But midfielder Mikel admitted: “I have been here seven years and have always played Champions League games.

“I had never played football on Thursday nights, so it has been very hard this season.

“No disrespect to the Europa League but it’s not the same.

“I don’t even know the Europa League tune.

“But when you hear the Champions League anthem, you get that buzz.

“We have been used to those special nights and we want them back.”

Chelsea can book a place in the Europa League semi-final on Thursday after last week’s 3-1 quarter-final first-leg victory over Rubin Kazan and also have an FA Cup last-four clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

But Mikel, 25, is desperate to finish in the top four in the Premier League to guarantee Champions League football next season.

He added: “I’ve been watching all the Champions League games and it’s been frustrating. Then we have to play on Thursday nights. What do they say?
‘Thursday nights, Channel 5?’

“Next season we definitely want to be primetime. This season has been harder than when we won the European Cup. There are more games in the Europa League.”

Sunday’s 2-1 Prem win over Sunderland lifted the Blues back above Tottenham
into third.

And Nigerian Mikel admits fighting on three fronts is causing fatigue. He added:
“Some of us are a bit tired.

“We knew it was going to be tough with the games we have but the manager is doing his job by rotating the team.

“But we have to keep going — we’ve a great chance of winning silverware.

“It is less tiring if you are winning — there is less pressure from the fans.”

However, when asked if the supporters are finally warming to ex-Liverpool boss
Benitez, he added: “I don’t know about that. But they have always supported the club and the players.

“They’ll continue doing that as long as we keep winning.

“If you are at Chelsea you have to win trophies, to be in the Champions League — this is the pressure of being here.”