Wolves hot-shot Raul Jimenez hoping for seventh heaven
Raul Jimenez says he'll become a Manchester City fan for the FA Cup final – should Wolves secure seventh place.
Nuno Espirito Santo's team will cement seventh if they beat Fulham this weekend and Leicester fail to beat Manchester City on Monday night.
If City then win the FA Cup final against Watford, Wolves would play European football for the first time in almost four decades.
Top scorer Jimenez said: "I have never played in the Europa League so maybe it’s a good opportunity for us.
"Maybe not many of my teammates made it (either) so I really want to play that cup.
"Watford have the cup final, we are going to support Manchester City I think!
"Saturday (beating Watford) was very important for us because some people think that it was a revenge for the FA Cup, but we were thinking before of the match that it was a very good opportunity to take more advantage for the seventh place.
"Now we have the same opportunity as them to be in the Europa League. This weekend we have the opportunity to, if we win the game, to be in more in the Europa League in the seventh place."
It's been a stellar season for Jimenez who has scored 17 goals.
He will join Wolves for a club record £32million this summer, having spent the season on loan from Benfica where he was a perennial substitute last year.
Jimenez added: "The three years I was in Benfica, when I was starting to be part of the team the strikers were making goals so it was difficult to get in the starting XI again
"I always try to make my best with some assists, with some goals but this year I think in terms of playing, in terms of goals it was my first year here in Europe.
"I just want to say thanks to all the people here in Wolverhampton that make me feel at home, and the coach, my teammates and all the staff that always with you, that this season was amazing."
The Cottagers have already been relegated back to the Championship, but a belated revival under Scott Parker has seen them win their last three games – against Everton, Bournemouth and Cardiff – without conceding a goal.
Jimenez is under no illusions about the task at hand,
"They don’t have anything to lose," he said.
"They are going to play free so it’s very important for us to stay focused, to stay making good things in the pitch and stay concentrated.
"Every one of us know what we have to do so, and it’s the last game of the season at home so we want to give the supporters another happy ending.
"We already know how they play, how they make some things to struggle in our game so we have to be patient.
"We have to stay focused in the game and I think with our quality, with our good work we can make good things and we can win the match."
Jimenez will have a special VIP watching at Molineux on Saturday in in the form of WWE wrestler Sin Cara, who has been specially invited by Wolves to Molineux.
The Mexican striker donned a Sin Cara mask when netting in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley last month.
"I always knew who he was in Mexico, who he is in the United States and one time I used the mask to celebrate in the cup final in Portugal," Jimenez said.
"He knew that and we kept in contact and started a friendship.
"It’s very important for us to have him at the game on the weekend and, well ,I hope we can make a good match and I hope I can score!
"The mask was ready (at Watford), the (staff) didn’t want to put it behind the goal because it was not our stadium so they said "yes leave it here and we’ll give it to you" and I think they forgot!
"But it’s going to be ready for the next match!"
