Mauricio Pochettino praised his players after Chelsea beat Newcastle on penalties at Stamford Bridge to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
They prevailed in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in which Mykhailo Mudryk’s stoppage-time equaliser kept them in the competition.
Blues boss Pochettino declared: “The most important thing in football is to believe until the end. We kept believing.
“I am so pleased because our objective before the game was to go through the semi-finals. And we are in the semi-finals.”
Pochettino has so far presided over a difficult first season in charge, but it could yet end with a trophy.
And the Argentine is convinced the days of Chelsea routinely challenging for silverware will return.
He said: “We have a healthy group of players. We only need time.
“With time I think we are going to create a very good team that can compete and be in the place that Chelsea should be.”