It has been a lost season, to say the least, at Chelsea FC, but a chance for redemption remains. The Blues can still hoist a trophy in 2025-26, and with it, earn a place in the UEFA Europa League group stage for next season. They would have to beat Manchester City of course, which is always a tough task, but anything can happen in the FA Cup Final on Saturday. Chelsea do have a pretty long injury list right now, however, which could hurt their chances of springing the upset. Robert Sanchez, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are all 50/50 for this title tilt at the national stadium.
FA Cup Final FYIs
Chelsea FC vs Manchester City
Kickoff: Sat. May 16, 3pm, Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Team News: Chelsea Manchester City
How They Got Here
Chelsea: Leeds 1-0 (SF), Port Vale 7-0 (Qtrs), Wrexham 4-2 (5th rd), Hull City 4-0 (4th rd), Charlton (3rd rd)
Manchester City: Southampton 2-1 (SF), Liverpool 4-0 (Qtrs), Newcastle 3-1 (5th rd), Salford City 2-0 (4th rd), Exeter City 10-1 (3rd rd)
Blues Team News
“You have to take these things day by day,” Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane said on Saturday, which saw the Blues score draw with Liverpool.
“We’re hoping that [Neto and Garancho] will be available, but we don’t know at this moment in time. They’re going to get back into training. We’ll see how they feel, see how it looks. So, fingers crossed.”
Obviously, both Garnacho and Neto (unspecified/undisclosed injuries) will face late fitness tests here; and the same goes for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who is still recovering from that nasty head injury he suffered in the blowout loss to Nottingham Forest.
Speaking of nasty head injuries that occurred in that notorious match, Jesse Derry is officially ruled out for the rest of the season. We all already assumed this, but now we have the official confirmation.
What is much more important, however, is that he’s going to be alright in the long run.
“I don’t have the knowledge or the insights to go into massive detail, but all the early signs are positive,” McFarlane said a few days ago.
“As long as he’s healthy, that’s all that really matters. He’s not going to be available from now to the end of the season.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.