{"id":240522,"date":"2026-04-26T21:14:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/you-cheating-bs-tempers-flare-over-keeper-controversy-in-heated-fa-cup-semi\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T21:14:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:14:00","slug":"you-cheating-bs-tempers-flare-over-keeper-controversy-in-heated-fa-cup-semi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/you-cheating-bs-tempers-flare-over-keeper-controversy-in-heated-fa-cup-semi\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018You cheating b******s\u2019: Tempers flare over \u2018keeper controversy in heated FA Cup semi"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Enzo Fernandez fired Chelsea into the FA Cup final against Manchester City as the Argentine sealed a 1-0 win against Leeds, that was not without controversy, in the Blues\u2019 first match after Liam Rosenior\u2019s sacking.<\/p>\n

Fernandez\u2019s first-half header in Sunday\u2019s semi-final at Wembley was an ironic twist after another farcical chapter in Chelsea\u2019s turbulent recent history.<\/p>\n

\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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The 25-year-old midfielder emerged as a divisive figure towards the end of Rosenior\u2019s brief reign after he was dropped for two games for hinting in an interview that he was considering leaving at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

Rosenior\u2019s handling of the incident undermined his already-fragile relationship with his squad as Chelsea\u2019s form spiralled out of control.<\/p>\n

He was sacked on Wednesday after a woeful run of five successive defeats without scoring — the club\u2019s worst streak since 1912 — climaxed with Tuesday\u2019s 3-0 hammering at Brighton.<\/p>\n

Rosenior, who lasted only 106 days after arriving from Strasbourg, had sealed his fate by criticising the players\u2019 desire and spirit against Brighton.<\/p>\n

That outburst was the final straw for Chelsea\u2019s owners, exposing a rift between Rosenior and his stars that included leaked team selections and several players, including Fernandez, publicly expressing frustration with his predecessor Enzo Maresca\u2019s departure.<\/p>\n

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Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, second left, celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the FA Cup semi-final.<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chelsea\u2019s woeful run has ruined their bid to qualify for next season\u2019s Champions League, leaving them 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with just four games left.<\/p>\n

But, now led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, the Blues can partially salvage a miserable campaign by winning the FA Cup for the first time since 2018.<\/p>\n

They will face City in the final on May 16 after Pep Guardiola\u2019s team came from behind to beat second tier Southampton 2-1 on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea are into the final for the 17th time in their history and the first since losing to Liverpool in the 2022 showpiece.<\/p>\n

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Crazy scenes after 103rd-min equaliser! | 00:47<\/p>\n

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If Chelsea can beat City at Wembley, the inexperienced McFarlane would become one of the most unlikely FA Cup-winning managers after stepping up from his role with the club\u2019s Under-21 squad to assist Rosenior.<\/p>\n

McFarlane has inherited a mess but he deserves credit for coaxing a more cohesive display from Chelsea so soon after Rosenior\u2019s sacking.<\/p>\n

– Chelsea restore pride –<\/b><\/p>\n

It was a missed opportunity for Leeds, who were playing in their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987 and haven\u2019t made the final for 53 years.<\/p>\n

Brenden Aaronson wasted a golden opportunity to put Leeds ahead in the 15th minute, racing clean through on goal after Trevoh Chalobah\u2019s slip but failing to produce the accuracy to beat Robert Sanchez.<\/p>\n

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A Leeds United supporter in full voice during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chelsea responded to that scare by missing a good chance of their own, Joao Pedro drilling a low strike against the near post from close-range.<\/p>\n

But Fernandez eased the anxiety around Chelsea with his 23rd-minute opener. Pascal Struijk was guilty of surrendering possession deep inside Leeds\u2019 half and Pedro Neto pounced, lifting a pin-point cross towards Fernandez, who headed into the far corner from six yards.<\/p>\n

It was Chelsea\u2019s first goal for nearly 300 minutes since they netted against third tier Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-final.<\/p>\n

Leeds sent on Anton Stach at the interval and the German midfielder was inches away from equalising with his first touch, a long-range rocket that forced a fine stop from Sanchez.<\/p>\n

Daniel Farke\u2019s side improved after their tepid first half, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have done better than head straight at Sanchez from a good position.<\/p>\n

Sanchez needed treatment for an injury moments later, but Leeds claimed the Spaniard was faking to give his team a tactical break, leading to a heated clash between several players on the touchline.<\/p>\n

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Robert Sanchez waits for the Chelsea medical staff to check an injury.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tempers were flaring but it was far from the infamous brutal 1970 FA Cup final battle between these old rivals.<\/p>\n

Leeds\u2019 players and staff believed their Chelsea counterparts had instructed Sanchez to stay down so that his teammates could head to the sidelines for a drink and to receive instructions from McFarlane.<\/p>\n

Leeds\u2019 Ethan Ampadu tried to interrupt a conversation between McFarlane and Tosin Adarabioyo until Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia forcefully pushed him away.<\/p>\n

Farke and his coaching staff protested to the officials, while Leeds fan chanted \u2018you cheating b******s\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a former \u2019keeper having played for Leeds, it was a plan as a \u2018keeper to go down. But it needs to be stopped,\u201d former England goalkeeper Rob Green said on BBC Radio 5 Live.<\/p>\n

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Leeds’ Ethan Ampadu, left, and Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia argue by the touchline during the FA Cup semi-final.<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chelsea kept their cool to close out a win that restored a modicum of pride after the Rosenior debacle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to weather some storm and show a bit of character and grit while they threw everything at us. Probably the character was the most pleasing part,\u201d McFarlane said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think those lads showed how much they want to win and what they were willing to do to win a really important football game for the club.\u201d <\/p>\n

McFarlane knows victory over Pep Guardiola\u2019s men would partially salvage Chelsea\u2019s troubled campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cRelief is the correct word. We were confident going into the game. We had a good three days but you never know. We wanted to shift the momentum; our form hasn\u2019t been great,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew Leeds would think we were vulnerable. We knew we were in a bit of a vulnerable place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we started to take control of the game. Robert Sanchez\u2019s saves were massive for us. We haven\u2019t kept enough clean sheets recently.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Enzo Fernandez fired Chelsea into the FA Cup final against Manchester City as the Argentine sealed a 1-0 win against Leeds, that was not without controversy, in the Blues\u2019 first match after Liam Rosenior\u2019s sacking. Fernandez\u2019s first-half header in Sunday\u2019s semi-final at Wembley was an ironic twist after another farcical chapter in Chelsea\u2019s turbulent recent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":240523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[72307,83,1736,14254,68184,1192,16647,2982,72312,16254,6855,952,19990,55706,72306,3382,42645,23459,149,4054,4218,72309,12885,7255,72310,72314,108,15009,1626,1728,2654,854,72311,70549,15117,2891,23523,68405,72313,72308],"class_list":{"0":"post-240522","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-already-fragile-relationship","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","11":"tag-bbc-radio-5-live","12":"tag-calum-mcfarlane","13":"tag-champions-league","14":"tag-clean-sheets","15":"tag-coaching-staff","16":"tag-controversial-incident","17":"tag-crazy-scenes","18":"tag-dominic-calvert-lewin","19":"tag-enzo-fernandez","20":"tag-enzo-maresca","21":"tag-extraordinary-fashion","22":"tag-final-battle","23":"tag-final-straw","24":"tag-first-half-header","25":"tag-football-game","26":"tag-football-news","27":"tag-football-world","28":"tag-german-midfielder","29":"tag-injury-moments","30":"tag-interim-manager","31":"tag-joao-pedro","32":"tag-keeper-controversy","33":"tag-leaked-team-selections","34":"tag-liverpool","35":"tag-national-league","36":"tag-new-south-wales","37":"tag-oceania","38":"tag-opening-goal","39":"tag-premier-league","40":"tag-racing-clean","41":"tag-rob-green","42":"tag-robert-sanchez","43":"tag-semi-final","44":"tag-sparks-controversy","45":"tag-tempers-flare","46":"tag-woeful-run","47":"tag-worst-streak"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}