Since he took charge of the club in the summer of 2004, Mourinho has bagged the Carling Cup and Barclays Premiership title on two occasions, but the FA Cup has always eluded him.

In his first season, it was Newcastle who knocked Chelsea out of the competition and then their old foes Liverpool repeated the feat in the semi-final at Old Trafford last season.

Now, perhaps fittingly, Chelsea return to a rebuilt Wembley to hopefully carry on where they left off in the last final at the old venue.

Captain John Terry and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini are the only players remaining at Stamford Bridge from the squad on duty in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Both sat on the sidelines as unused substitutes when Roberto Di Matteo's winner ensured that Chelsea won the last FA Cup final under the Twin Towers.

So to lead Chelsea out under the giant arch of the new stadium on May 19 is the perfect return for the England captain.

Terry said: "The Carling Cup will always be special to Chelsea because it was the first cup we won as a group.

"But the FA Cup is the one we've all been brought up on, it's got so much history and it is the one we haven't won. This year we want to put that right.

"It is the only one we haven't won in Roman (Abramovich) and Jose's time and we owe it to both of them as well as ourselves."

Terry will also be hoping to lift his first trophy of the season after being stretchered off with a head injury during the Carling Cup win over Arsenal in February.

The Chelsea captain has had his own share of troubles this season including back surgery as well as sustaining that now famous kick in the head from Abou Diaby.

But his grit and determination to inspire Chelsea to glory inside the new Wembley is admired by a team-mate who also came through his own injury nightmare this season.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech fractured his skull against Reading last October and spent three months out of the game before returning to action against Liverpool in January.

Cech still has to wear protective headgear but despite his own injury hell, he has nothing but praise for the captain he labels 'Mr. Indestructible'.

Cech declared: "If there is a trophy for iron man of the Year, John should get it. He is indestructible and amazing."

Chelsea will face a revitalised Manchester United in the final and Terry knows only too well that Cristiano Ronaldo is the man who can deny him a boyhood dream of lifting the trophy.

Terry, a self-confessed United fan, declared: "He has done so well on and off the pitch and, honestly, I could watch Manchester United just to watch him. He does things with the ball you don't see anyone else in the world doing. When he is at his best I don't think there are many people who can stop him.

"When he runs at you with his tricks and his skills you don't know which way he is going. If you double up on him he passes to [Wayne] Rooney and he does it. Where do you stop? You can't double up on everyone. It's a case of us defending very well."