A Chelsea legend praised Enzo Fernandez as a warrior on the pitch despite the controversy, highlighting his commitment and the goal that led the Blues to the FA Cup final.
Fernández was decisive for Chelsea at Wembley: He headed a cross from Pedro Neto in the 23rd minute and led the Blues to their 17th FA Cup final. The goal rewarded his tenacious performance, despite the controversy over his comments about Enzo Maresca’s departure and his interest in Real Madrid.
Despite the off-field turmoil, Fernández delivered a dominant performance in midfield. “That man looked exceptional to me. There were many doubts about him because of his comments, but when he steps on the pitch, he is a fighter and a warrior,” Joe Cole told TNT Sports after the match.
Cole highlighted the defensive effort that backed Fernández. “Robert Sanchez was magnificent under the sticks. Trevor Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo showed strength and contained Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The fans want to see a fight and that spark we saw today,” the former Chelsea winger added.
The victory gives a huge boost to interim coach Calum McFarlane, who took over for the second time this season after Liam Rosenior’s dismissal following the 3-0 loss to Brighton. McFarlane overcame a difficult moment and led Chelsea to the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 16.
Cole praised him for keeping calm under pressure. “It’s a meteoric rise, but he has led them to the FA Cup final and deserves congratulations,” he said.
Former England captain Steven Gerrard, present in the TNT studio, agreed with Cole in his analysis of Chelsea.
He highlighted that the team showed more organization and discipline than in previous weeks and handled Leeds’ pressure well in the final minutes of the semifinal at Wembley.
And he added: “I was impressed by Chelsea in the second half, even when Leeds got a bit into the game. The game management, the structure, the setup … I think they managed it very well.”
Now, possibly the most complicated mission for Chelsea is to beat Guardiola’s Manchester City, the same team that thrashed them 3-0 at Stamford Bridge just a couple of weeks ago.
Clearly, with a team that was broken in terms of the relationship between the players and coach Rosenior, that is no longer the case, but even so, McFarlane will need to deliver a perfect tactical performance, and who knows, in a final, anything can happen.
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