Hire, Fire, Final - Chelsea's Player Power May Be Ugly, But It Wins

Central to it each was match-winner Fernandez, nan game's outstanding performer. The Argentine's first half-header, planted firmly past Lucas Perri aft 23 minutes, turning retired to beryllium nan decisive moment.

It ended a tally of 498 minutes without a Chelsea extremity against Premier League clubs successful each competitions. Victory was secured pinch their first cleanable expanse against top-flight guidance since 17 January.

This was nan aforesaid Fernandez precocious fixed a two-match suspension by Chelsea aft Rosenior said he had "crossed a line" pursuing their Champions League exit against Paris St-Germain by giving an question and reply hinting astatine a departure.

The presumption was that he was fluttering his eyelashes astatine Real Madrid.

At Wembley, what should beryllium normal work for nan World Cup victor was resumed. Fernandez was nan inspiration down Chelsea's win, not conscionable pinch his extremity but all-round effort.

He took his extremity tally this play to 13. The only midfielder to people much for a Premier League nine successful 2025-26 is Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White pinch 16.

Former England goalkeeper Rob Green, who had a spell astatine Stamford Bridge towards nan extremity of his career, reflected connected really nan Wembley displays of Chelsea and Fernandez contrasted sharply pinch those produced successful Rosenior's last days.

"They're a merchandise of nan strategy they are successful and successful modern-day football," Green said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's disfigured but they person each nan powerfulness and it was epitomised by Fernandez. He ran nan game. It was down to him really they played. That is not patient for a shot nine but for Chelsea it gets them to finals.

"Give a subordinate an inch, they return a mile.

"Chelsea do what Chelsea do. They had 1 large infinitesimal successful nan game, Leeds had 3 aliases four, but didn't return them and that was nan difference."

And what a quality a caller look successful nan method area makes - particularly amid nan dysfunction and turbulence that characterises Chelsea.