Chelsea's Forgotten Men Rise to the Occasion, Powering Blues Into FA Cup Final

Chelsea advanced to the 2025–26 FA Cup final with a narrow 1–0 victory over Leeds United at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, courtesy of Enzo Fernández's goal and a standout display from Robert Sánchez between the posts.

Calum McFarlane took charge on the touchline for the Blues following Liam Rosenior's dismissal earlier in the week, and the caretaker boss guided Chelsea through a composed performance that featured bright attacking play early on and solid defensive resolve in the second half.

It was a world away from the dismal display against Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday night.

A close-range header from Fernández — returning with the captain's armband after serving a club-imposed ban for their previous FA Cup match — proved to be the decisive moment, and Leeds will be left to regret the clear-cut chances they failed to convert. Sánchez also delivered when it mattered most during Leeds' sporadic spells of pressure, and Chelsea will now compete in their 17th FA Cup final.

Manchester City stand in their way.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

Is Robert Sánchez winning Chelsea fans over once again? It seems unlikely, but he certainly earned his plaudits with his performance beneath the arch.

The Blues never buckled under Leeds' sustained pressure despite their improved showing in the second half after Daniel Farke abandoned the back three, though Leeds still fashioned a couple of key moments that could have completely changed the course of the semifinal.

The most significant came from Brenden Aaronson in the 15th minute, when he found himself in a one-on-one situation with Sánchez following a swift counter. His shot was heading for the bottom corner, but Sánchez's well-timed right-footed save denied the American from opening the scoring. An early lead for Leeds would have suited them perfectly, given their ability to absorb pressure and hit on the break.

Chelsea were clearly the better side in the first half, particularly after Aaronson's chance, but Leeds grew into the game after the interval. The returning Anton Stach came agonizingly close to leveling things up after coming on, but Chelsea's goalkeeper was there to produce a brilliant stop to deny the midfielder's powerful effort.

Sánchez was not called upon frequently, which perhaps makes his contribution all the more valuable. On this occasion, he kept his focus sharp throughout, and Chelsea are heading to the FA Cup final because of it.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Leeds (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Robert Sánchez—8.5: The Spanish shot-stopper did not let Chelsea down at Wembley. Sánchez produced several crucial saves at vital moments to help steer the Blues into the final.

RB: Malo Gusto—7.3: A genuine attacking threat in the early stages, with his willingness to push forward from right back nearly catching Leeds off balance. Gusto came under pressure from Noah Okafor in the second half and was aided by the Swiss winger's early substitution.

CB: Trevoh Chalobah—7.5: Inconsistent in possession, with a wayward pass in the early stages gifting Leeds their best opportunity of the first half. Nevertheless, Chalobah was dependable at the back.

CB: Tosin Adarabioyo—7.5: Brought back into the starting lineup by McFarlane, the somewhat unpopular Tosin fulfilled his duties. He dealt well with Dominic Calvert-Lewin throughout and remained focused on the task.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.1: Contributed little going forward and had a few nervy moments defensively, as his poor technique and over-eagerness were exploited at times.

DM: Roméo Lavia—6.5: Largely tidy and composed. His link-up play with midfield partner Moisés Caicedo was effective, and Lavia also found intelligent positions to evade Leeds' press.

DM: Moisés Caicedo—7.4: Has struggled for consistency this calendar year, but looked closer to his best on Sunday, with a booking almost unavoidable. Caicedo was sharp at Wembley and served as a useful distributor in the early stages.

RW: Pedro Neto—8.1: The Portuguese winger was a relentless source of energy across both flanks and produced a moment of real quality in the first half to set up the opening goal.

AM: Enzo Fernández—8.5: Chelsea's skipper on the day dominated the semifinal in the opening half-hour, with his commanding start to the match culminating in the decisive goal. His creative influence diminished over the final hour, but the Argentine still demonstrated his quality.

LW: Alejandro Garnacho—6.6: His value as a lively outlet who runs in behind is undeniable, but the former Manchester United man struggled to produce the decisive moments when they were needed most.

ST: João Pedro—7.2: Desperately unlucky not to have found the net, but his work as a link player was frequently excellent. Showed great ability on the half-turn to evade the Leeds backline.

SUB: Andrey Santos (66' for Lavia)—6.8: Helped bring stability to Chelsea's midfield as Lavia's influence waned.

SUB: Cole Palmer (71' for Garnacho)—6.1: Offered little in possession, but Palmer's off-the-ball work rate deserves recognition.

SUB: Liam Delap (90+8' for Pedro)—N/A

Subs not used: Teddy Sharman-Lowe (GK), Jorrel Hato, Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Dário Essugo, Jesse Derry.

What These Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Chelsea's Semifinal Triumph