Chelsea will aim to secure a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals when they welcome Port Vale to Stamford Bridge for the quarter-final on Saturday evening. Liam Rosenior has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Enzo Fernandez is the latest absentee for the home side, with Liam Rosenior confirming his unavailability on disciplinary grounds. Additionally, Filip Jorgensen (groin), Levi Colwill (knee), Reece James (thigh), and Trevoh Chalobah (ankle) remain in the treatment room. At the same time, Mykhailo Mudryk continues to serve a suspension after failing a doping test over a year ago.
However, Benoit Badiashile and Jamie Gittens should be fit and available to take on Port Vale this weekend. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Rosenior provided fitness updates on Colwill, James, Chalobah, Badiashile, and Gittens.
The Chelsea head coach said, “Reece is getting along really well but he’s not ready yet. Trevoh is progressing really, really well as well and it’s great to have Levi [Colwill] back in full training, but it’s going to take him a few more weeks to tick those boxes before he’s ready [to feature]. Elsewhere we have pretty much a fresh group to work with.”
“Best of all, Estevao [is fit], Jamie Gittens is back and that’s really positive in terms of going into the run-in [of the end of the season]. With Reece and Trevoh, I don’t know [in terms of a return date] yet. We work day to day and I don’t want to give a timeline and [the players] not come through with that timeline. We don’t want to put pressure on those players working to come back, but what I will say is that they are all working really well at this moment.”
However, the major talking point was Enzo Fernandez’s absence, and Rosenior addressed the issue. The Chelsea boss said, “I spoke with Enzo an hour ago. As a football club, and with me as part of that process, we’ve made a decision: he won’t be available for tomorrow’s game and he won’t be available for Manchester City next Sunday.”
“I think a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. So we had to make a sanction and that was a decision we’ve made. In terms of the decision – and I’ve said this from day one – it’s not all about just me, it’s not all about the sporting directors, the ownership, or the players. We are aligned in every decision that we make. It was a joint decision.”
Robert Sanchez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Port Vale on Saturday afternoon. The backline will feature Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, and Jorrel Hato. Mamadou Sarr will start at the heart of the defence if Badiashile is not fit enough to feature from the get-go.
As for the midfield unit, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo should make rare starts as they continue to improve their fitness. Estevao Willian will reprise the no. 10 role, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho being the two wide attackers. Finally, Joao Pedro will lead the line for the home side against Port Vale on Saturday.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Hato; Lavia, Essugo; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Pedro
