Our 2024/25 campaign is set for a dramatic conclusion on two fronts, as we attempt to seal a top-five finish in the Premier League – which comes with qualification for next season’s Champions League – before hopefully claiming silverware in the Conference League final, all in the space of four days.

That begins on Sunday, when we travel to Nottingham Forest for our last league fixture of the season. Just one point separates the two sides – as well as Aston Villa and Newcastle United – in the race for the Champions League, meaning a victory for the Blues would guarantee our spot in next season's Champions League.

‘Obviously the last week gives us a big push to keep going. It’s going to be a difficult week but we are really looking forward to it,’ said Sanchez.

‘We know we need to go and win, 100 per cent, because winning guarantees us qualification. So that’s all we’re looking for and we go game-by-game, make sure we win the first one and then go to win the final.

‘We know what to expect in Nottingham. We are playing away, they are playing for their lives as well. Whichever team wins that game will probably qualify for the Champions League. We know it’s massive for them, but it’s even bigger for us, because we are a Champions League team, we deserve to be there and we need to be there.

‘So we do have that pressure, but at the same time we have that push to achieve it because we do all want to play Champions League football next season and if we don’t we’re going to be disappointed with ourselves. So we’re excited to go there and [hopefully] beat them.’

One player who has done as much as anyone to put us in the position where Champions League qualification is in our own hands going into the last game is Marc Cucurella, who has been a team-mate of Sanchez with Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Spain.

The defender scored the goal which gave us a vital 1-0 win over Manchester United in our previous match, taking his tally for the season to an impressive seven goals, and his tactical versatility and technical ability have been crucial during a brilliant campaign for defender, after a difficult beginning to his time at Stamford Bridge.

‘Obviously I’ve known Cucurella since Brighton,’ our goalkeeper said. ‘When he signed for Chelsea, he didn’t have a great first year, but he overcame that. He had a little injury, came back, pushed, improved massively, won the Euros with the national team, kept doing amazing back at Chelsea and is one of our best players in the team right now.

‘When we need someone, he’s always there – to defend, to attack, to score. He’s - if not the best - one of the best left-backs on the planet right now. He's unbelievable. If I have a little doubt myself I always look at him, for what he’s done, and know that you always can come out on top and do better.’

The third member of our former-Brighton contingent is Moises Caicedo, another player who is enjoying an excellent year with the Blues, being voted as the Chelsea's Player and Players’ Player of the Season for 2024/25.

Sanchez said: ‘When you come to a new team, a bigger team, one of the best teams or the best team on the planet in Chelsea, you’re always going to need a little time to settle, just to start playing well. It happened to Cucu, it happened to me, it happened to Moi.

‘I think we’re all coming to our best levels and Moi obviously is the best defensive midfielder on the planet right now. He’s been unbelievable this year. Moi went through a little period where he was having to adjust, but the guy’s unbelievable. There’s nothing to worry about with him, he’s showed that this season.’

With the quality of players like Cucurella, Caicedo and others in the team, Sanchez is confident going into the last week of the season that, come next Thursday morning, the Blues will be reflecting on a trophy won and Champions League football next season.

‘Qualifying for the Champions League and winning a trophy, that would be a really successful season,’ he concluded. ‘We have 100 per cent confidence in ourselves. We know the quality that we have.

‘We train every day towards this goal, it’s what we’ve been looking for the whole season. We just know we have to go and do it, there’s no other option.’