Fulham manager Marco Silva says motivation is high in the Fulham camp, as we target a second Carabao Cup Semi-Final in three years.
A tough challenge stands in our way, though, as we head to holders Newcastle United on Wednesday night for our Quarter-Final showdown.
“It's a big game,” Silva admitted. “From the first moment of this competition, I've been saying that we aim high. Now that we are playing Quarter-Finals, with the chance to be in the Semi-Finals, we are not going to hide ourselves.
“We go to play the game with the full ambition that we can be in the Semi-Finals, because it's our aim, it’s our ambition to be there.
“We play against a tough side – we have been very strong against them, like they have been against us, the games have been very competitive against each other recently.
“Probably one of the toughest places to play in this country, but at the same time, probably one of the best places to play football and to enjoy a football match in this country as well.
“And we have to go full of ambition that the Semi-Finals are there for one team to take, and let's hope it can be ourselves.”
Silva has made no secret of his desire to bring silverware to the Club, and he knows the cup competitions offer the best opportunity to do that.
“Nothing is impossible in football, but we have to be realistic,” he said. “The best way to achieve something, the cups are the way.
“And we have been trying to create this mentality inside the Club, and because of that we did achieve, for the first time ever, Semi-Finals two years ago in this competition. Last season, the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup. And we want to go again.
“Let’s go to play each stage of the competition with full ambition. Of course, silverware is always in our mind.
“Such a historic club, that doesn't have a title in this type of competitions, it’s something that if you can achieve, you can imagine how the fans are going to feel, and how we can really put a statement in this football club.”