Chelsea reach league cup semi-finals

The London club booked their place in the last four thanks to a strong finish, overcoming Cardiff after a tightly contested match.

Late goals seal victory

Chelsea, coached by Italian manager Enzo Maresca, took the lead through Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho in the 57th minute. Cardiff responded with an equaliser when Scotland international David Turnbull headed home in the 75th minute.

The “Blues” regained the lead in the 82nd minute through Portuguese forward Pedro Neto, before Garnacho sealed the win with his second goal of the match in stoppage time (90+3).

Win comes amid speculation

The victory followed ambiguous comments made by Maresca after Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League win over Everton on Saturday, during which he said he had experienced his “worst 48 hours” at the club due to a lack of support from “several people”.

Although Maresca did not specify whom he was referring to, his remarks sparked speculation about tensions involving club owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, as well as sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

Focus on results despite criticism

Reports suggested the coach was unhappy with the club’s failure to publicly back him following criticism of his squad rotation during a period of poor results. The Cardiff victory marked Chelsea’s second win in their last six matches across all competitions.

Maresca, who guided Chelsea to Club World Cup and Conference League titles earlier this year, said his priority was ensuring the club reached its third semi-final in 18 months since his arrival.

Quarter-final fixtures continue

Chelsea, currently eight points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, are chasing their first League Cup title since 2015.

The quarter-final matches conclude on Wednesday, with Manchester City hosting Brentford and Newcastle facing Fulham, while Arsenal are set to play Crystal Palace on the 23rd of this month.