Former Nigerian international, John Obi Mikel, has stated that Chelsea must win the FA Cup and secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League to consider their 2025/26 campaign a successful one.
The Blues are set to meet Manchester City in the FA Cup final, but their hopes of finishing in the Premier League top spots—and qualifying for next season’s Champions League, have been hampered by inconsistent results throughout the campaign.
Despite what he described as a turbulent season marked by managerial changes and instability, Mikel Obi, speaking on his Obi One Podcast, insisted that Chelsea remain a “Champions League football club” and should not accept anything less than elite European qualification.
“That’s success, yes. Winning the FA Cup and not qualifying for the Champions League is not success, but having both is success,” the one-time UEFA Europa League winner said on the Obi One Podcast.
He further emphasised the importance of achieving both targets, linking it to the club’s ability to attract top talent and compete at the highest level.
“Getting both is a pass, and we can build on that next season. Because you’ll attract big players, those who wants to win because they want to play in the Champions League.
“Then we go on to get a manager that can attract those players, that makes players want to play for him.
“If Guardiola picks up a phone and calls a player, they run to Manchester, because they’ll win titles and become better players. That’s what a football club is.
“That’s who we were, 10, 15 years ago. Roman called players and they answered. I answered when I could’ve been at Old Trafford. I did a U-turn mate,” Mikel Obi concluded.
