MILLWALL manager Kenny Jackett admits it is a nice feeling going into Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final date with Wigan knowing his side are potentially 90 minutes away from European qualification.

The Lions will be looking to book a second FA Cup final appearance in nine years when they take on the Premier League Latics at the national stadium.

With the following day’s semi-final involving Chelsea and Manchester City, two sides almost certain to be in next season’s Champions League, it is odds on whoever wins on Saturday will guarantee Europa League football, an opportunity Jackett would relish.

The Den chief said: “It is a great feeling. We are pleased to have got this far.

“We’ve got through all types of ties – beat a Premier League side, we’ve had a non-league team away, got through a replay and gone up to Ewood Park and won that particular replay.

“The beauty of the FA Cup is the different games it throws up and we’ve had that this year. We’ve had different types of games, we’ve negotiated them all and now we get to play a Premier League side at Wembley.

“It is a great opportunity but 90 minutes from Europe is great for the club and it is great for the players because that would be a big achievement.

“If and when we get there, or whoever gets there on Saturday, that will be a great chance and opportunity as well.”

Championship Millwall will be second favourites against top flight Wigan but Jackett accepts that is just part and parcel of what the competition is all about.

He explained: “I think that is the beauty or the romance of the FA Cup and always has been.

“It is not just at one level it is right across every level and everybody has a chance and an opportunity.

“You can see that with the way the semi-finals have fallen really.

“We understand Wigan are a very talented team and have done exceptionally well to maintain their Premier League status.

“They have some very good players and will be seeing this as an opportunity as well.”

Millwall will be cheered on by a huge contingent of Millwall fans who will outnumber their opponents by some margin.

Jackett added: “For our fans the FA Cup has always been a big competition.

“We sell well if it is a home game, if we are going up away from home we sell a good allocation and always going to Wembley we are confident of selling our allocation.

“That’s the case now, a 31,000 allocation and we’ve already gone through ours so the FA Cup certainly captures the imagination of the Millwall fans, added to with it being at Wembley.

“They will certainly make some noise on Saturday.”

Millwall have already played twice at Wembley under Jackett in the 2009 and 2010 League One play-off finals, something the manager feels could work to his side’s advantage in some regards.

“It certainly does in terms of the logistics of the build-up to the week - the club, the organisation, the supporters and certainly for us internally, that helps,” he said.

“But in truth there is not that many people that are still here that were involved then, certainly not that many players.

“For the players it is really important that they don’t play the occasion, they play the football match and they concentrate on what happens inside the white lines because these things can pass you by very quickly.

“They have to concentrate, they have to focus.

“We are making sure as a club, the chief executive Andy Ambler and myself, everything is organised properly for the players so they haven’t any distractions whatsoever and can keep their focus and concentration on the main event, which is 5.15pm when the game kicks off.”

Follow @NewsShopperSprt on Twitter and our live online Wembley blog at newsshopper.co.uk/sport on Saturday for all the latest news from Millwall’s FA Cup semi-final date with Wigan.