Patrick Vieira insists the FA Cup remains as important as ever and recalled how seeing Ian Wright’s excitement at winning the competition helped confirm its significance.
After a week of thrilling European football, the FA Cup takes centre stage this weekend, with Vieira’s Crystal Palace side taking on Chelsea on Sunday.
‘Of course it still has a place,’ Vieira said without any hesitation.
Patrick Vieira revealed Ian Wright (centre) made him realise the importance of the FA Cup
‘It’s a really important competition that has been followed — especially in France, because the game has been on TV — regardless of how big the Champions League is.’
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Vieira discovered the importance of the competition for himself when he won it with Arsenal in 1998, two years after signing from AC Milan.
‘I really loved that day,’ Vieira smiled. ‘I loved the atmosphere, the celebration after. This is when I realised this competition means a lot to the English people and the players in this country because of the way we were celebrating — the happiness, the excitement and the expression.
‘And Wrighty, the way he was — crazy about winning the Cup! When you’re a foreign player, you’re looking at him and you say, “This is a big thing!” Arriving from Italy, the Italian Cup is less important for the players than the FA Cup for the British players and this is something I loved.’
Vieira is unbeaten in his last 19 FA Cup games as a player and manager dating back to 2004
Vieira appreciates the competition as much as any British player, though it is another example of the humility he has become renowned for at Palace that he has not mentioned any of his experiences to his players ahead of their Wembley clash.
The 1998 victory was the first of five FA Cup wins for the Frenchman. Astonishingly, Vieira is unbeaten in his last 19 FA Cup games as a player and manager since losing the 2004 semi-final against Manchester United.
He ended his Arsenal career with the winning penalty in their 2005 shootout win over Manchester United, while the 1999 semi-final was another epic Cup occasion, though Vieira’s pass led to Ryan Giggs’ famous extra-time winner en-route to United’s treble.
He said: ‘Big games will be played by the details. You mention 1999, we had the penalty, we didn’t score and we lose. If we (my players) have the right concentration and are expressing ourselves when we have the ball, we have more chance of winning.
Although he anticipates a tough game Vieira believes Palace are capable of beating Chelsea
‘I don’t want them to think too much and freeze. We give ourselves the best chance to win because of the way we prepare, even if we know it will be difficult.’
Palace’s task will be a little harder without key midfielder Conor Gallagher, after their request for special permission to play him against his parent club was rejected by Chelsea.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel said: ‘I had the chance to speak to Conor and I could see his frustration.
‘We met some weeks ago by coincidence in a restaurant, had a chat and the subject came up and I apologised because I know how competitive he is.’
Thomas Tuchel apologised to Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher as he won’t be allowed to play