“Estevao unfortunately won’t play for us this season,” said Calum McFarlane, Chelsea’s interim boss.
Chelsea takes on Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The stakes are high. The winner will face either Manchester City or Southampton in the final on May 16.
Chelsea recently dismissed manager Liam Rosenior following a 3-0 defeat at Brighton. McFarlane steps in as they aim to continue their impressive FA Cup run despite struggles in league play.
Chelsea has advanced from nine of their last 11 FA Cup semi-final appearances. They are the competition’s top scorers this season, netting 20 goals so far.
Leeds United, however, is no stranger to success. They are the first newly promoted side to reach the FA Cup semi-finals since the 2018/19 season. Leeds dreams of their first triumph since the 1971/72 season.
In terms of injuries, Chelsea will miss Estevao Willian due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Leeds will be without Ilia Gruev for this crucial match.
The predicted line-up for Chelsea includes Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Hato, Cucurella, Santos, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Neto, and Joao Pedro.
Leeds’ expected lineup features Perri, Struijk, Bijol, Rodon, Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson, Aaronson, Okafor, and Calvert-Lewin.
Still, Chelsea could achieve a remarkable feat—becoming the first side to score four or more goals in five consecutive FA Cup games. The Blues have netted four or more goals in each round to date.
Historically, Chelsea has won both previous cup encounters against Leeds. This rivalry dates back to the 1960s and adds an extra layer of excitement to this encounter.
As kick-off approaches on Sunday at Wembley Stadium, anticipation builds among fans and players alike. Chelsea aims for its 28th FA Cup semi-final appearance with hopes of reaching yet another final.