LONDON: Jose Mourinho insisted Monday that Chelsea's stunning FA Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Bradford City had been consigned to history as far as he was concerned.
Mourinho, who celebrated his 52nd birthday on Monday, labelled Saturday's 4-2 loss to League One Bradford a "disgrace" and "unacceptable" after seeing the Blues squander a 2-0 lead at their Stamford Bridge ground.
However, Chelsea will make it to a Wembley showpiece match if they come through Tuesday's League Cup semi-final second leg at home to Premier League rivals Liverpool, with the tie finely balanced at 1-1.
"The next game is the most important one," Mourinho told chelseafc.com.
"We need to forget this one (Bradford) and start the next game in a different competition, and I know we are one victory away from playing a final.
"It's the good thing about playing consecutive matches without many days in between.
"It's the good thing that, when you lose, you have to focus immediately on the next game."
The Portuguese boss added: "You don't have a lot of time to be moaning or analysing what happened in the bad one. Let's move and let's think about the next one.
"At the end of May, beginning of June, we don't go to Wembley to play the FA Cup final, that's for sure.
"To go there -- and I think that should mean a lot to everyone -- the last chance we have is this one, to play there in the Capital One (League) Cup final."
Having seen Chelsea's hopes of an unprecedented 'quadruple' evaporate on Saturday, Mourinho is set to field his strongest sides in what promises to be a decisive week in the Blues' season, with champions Manchester City visiting the Premier League leaders on Saturday.
Chelsea currently lead City by five points and Saturday's match is set to see Blues' record-goalscorer Frank Lampard back at Stamford Bridge.
Former England midfielder Lampard spent 13 years at Chelsea, helping the club win three Premier League titles and the Champions League.
However, the 36-year-old's Chelsea contract was not renewed after the end of last season.
Lampard subsequently signed for Major League Soccer's New York City FC, only to then join 'sister club' Manchester City on a short-term deal which has since been extended until the end of the season due to his impressive form.
Earlier this season, Lampard scored City's equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
"I hope he is going to get the best reception like I had last year when I came to the Bridge with Galatasaray because that is the least he deserves," said Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, now in his second spell with the club.
"I am not surprised by what he has done at Manchester City this season.
"I think he is a professional and that is how he was when he played for Chelsea and why I have so much respect for him and what he is doing there."
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