Saiss dreams of winning FA Cup with Wolves

Romain Saiss admits he has dreamt of winning the FA Cup with Wolves but knows his teammates must not look further than Sunday’s semi-final clash with Watford at Wembley.

The Moroccan international has reached the first domestic cup semi-final of his professional career and is hoping to go all the way with his side but will have to overcome a tough challenge in the Hornets.

On dreams of winning the FA Cup

“I have dreamt, of course, because it’s another title with Wolves and one of the most important in England.

“When I was in France, the final was at the Stade de France and it was amazing see all the fans going to watch their team try and win a title.

“I can’t imagine in England what that will be like.”

On being relaxed before matches

“I am always the same. I think we play football, so we are lucky, we play a game. In the dressing room, before the game, I may be less relaxed.

“But in the days before the game, no. If I go home and start to be nervous and don’t sleep – my wife and my kids would kill me, so I stay relaxed.”

On differences between the French Cup and the FA Cup

“I think the history of the FA Cup is really important here in England.

“On Wednesday, I went to a school in Dudley as part of an exchange with a Moroccan school and all the young students who spoke with me were crazy about the FA Cup.

“They are 10, 11, 12-year-olds and if you were in France they would only take about Neymar or Mbappe, but it is different in France. There, the French Cup is important, but it’s not like it is in England. It’s totally different and we can feel that.”

On his cup memories

“Both in France and in England, I have never past the last 16 before, so it’s fantastic to now be in the semi-final.

“To go to Wembley with almost 35,000 Wolves fans, it will be a very good game. We are all excited about the game.

“But we don’t want to have any pressure before the game because that’s the worst we can be. We can lose the game if we are thinking too much about the final, so we must be ready from the first minute against Watford until the end.”

On adapting to right side of a back three

“At the beginning it was hard to adapt because it’s totally different in terms of body position when you play.

“I have spent a lot of time with the coach because sometimes I put my body on the wrong side, like I’m playing on the left side, because that is where I play with Morocco. It is different, but to adapt, I have changed the position of my body and my feet.

“When I get the ball, I have to try and anticipate when the opponent is coming because they know if I am playing on the right side then most of the time I am going to use my left foot.

“They try to force me to go on my right foot, so I need to use my right foot as well, but I am working on that every day.”

On Moroccan interest in the FA Cup

“They are happy for me because we are having a really good season. I am the only Moroccan player in the Premier League, so it’s important for them because I am playing in the best league in the world. They are happy for me.

“I hope I can be a good example for Moroccan people who want to come and play in England because it is fantastic.”

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