Aitor Karanka has admitted his side will relish the chance to pit themselves against FA Cup holders Chelsea, but that it won't be the subject of focus until the crucial festive period is out of the way.

Big-spending Forest have been pitted against Maurizio Sarri's Blues in the third round of the competition, a game rather surprisingly not selected for TV, but Karanka is refusing to be drawn into too much excitement.

His promotion chasing side hope to secure games against the likes of Chelsea on a weekly basis with promotion and he's remaining focused on that task, for now.

“It is a nice draw, particularly for the crowd and for the players, but for me it is a long way off,” Karanka told Nottingham Live. “I do not know how many games we have between now and then."

“We cannot forget those games. It will be a nice fixture for everyone. But we need to win as many games as possible, before then.”

Forest will be the second side from the East Midlands to take on the Blues in cup competition this season, with Frank Lampard's Derby County going out of the League Cup at Stamford Bridge after defeating Manchester United.

Forest, who went out of the same competition against Burton Albion, will be hoping to go one better than their bitter rivals. Despite that desire, Karanka hasn't heard too much chatter from his players about their upcoming big day.

“I did not hear one player talking about the draw, because they know that the Champions League final for us, is coming this weekend against Preston."

The Verdict

Nottingham Forest might have been European Cup winners once upon a time, but I doubt very much they were ever likely to meet Preston in the final. Still, Karanka is right to remain focused on the task in hand.

The FA Cup is a great competition, but the prize for those promoted from the Championship is far more important. These days, clubs choose not to focus on the oldest cup competition in the world until the latter stages and the tie with Chelsea will likely feature reserve players on both sides.