As Wolves open their 2024/25 Molineux campaign against Chelsea this Sunday, Matheus Cunha is drawing inspiration from past meetings with the Blues while keeping his eyes firmly set on the present.
The Brazilian forward, who played a pivotal role in Wolves’ double over the London side last season, including scoring the first hat-trick of his Old Gold career at Stamford Bridge, acknowledges the significance of those victories, but is quick to emphasize that each game is a new challenge.
Chelsea’s visit this weekend will also see Pedro Neto return to Molineux less than a fortnight after joining the Blues, and although Cunha has nothing but well wishes for his fellow forward, he’s clear that friendships will be set aside once the whistle blows.
On last season’s double over Chelsea
“It's very important to remember these kinds of things, and sure, it’s another game, but we cannot forget about the things that are in the past, but we're very confident.
“We beat them two times last season, although it’s not the same team for Chelsea, we have some different players also, but I think our character needs to be the same. We have the chance to beat them and we'll do everything.
“The staff are unbelievably good here and they will show us the way to do it, and then, of course, if you put this on the pitch and have the same happiness, I think the score that we want will come in.”
On previous results giving Wolves the edge
“Honestly, no. The past doesn’t matter in the present. It’s always a new game. But we do have this kind of confidence because we beat them two times, but everyone knows it’s an unbelievably big club and they have unbelievable players, so they have all possibilities to beat us also.
“We need to be very focused, we need to do everything we have trained to do, and hope we can win again. The opportunity is with us.”
On facing Pedro Neto
“It’s going to be different. I say good words to anyone who transfers, and it’s a different club for him, an unbelievably good club, like I said, and every single day for the rest of my life I will support him, and I hope everything goes well for him – apart from Sunday against us.
“I hope we play better, but I hope he plays very well also, but don’t score goes against us! But I hope we play better than them and we have the possibility to win this game.”
On where Chelsea hat-trick ranks in his career
“I won the Olympics Games with Brazil, and I scored in the final as well, so this day will always be the number one game in my career, but the hat-trick at Stamford Bridge is up there with it – you can put it there together.
“It will be in the second place, but it’s definitely top in club football. I think it's only second because of my love for my country, but for a club, 100 per cent it’s the number one.”
