Enzo Fernández Leads Chelsea to FA Cup Final After Liam Rosenior Sacking

Enzo Fernández captained Chelsea to a 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, securing the club’s place in the final against Manchester City. The win came just days after head coach Liam Rosenior was sacked, with stand-in boss Calum McFarlane praising Fernández’s leadership and performance.

Fernández, who had been dropped for the previous match amid transfer speculation and comments about Real Madrid, wore the armband and scored the winning goal with a header at the back post. McFarlane, who took charge following Rosenior’s dismissal, said he had “no hesitation” in making Fernández captain, noting his vice-captain status and Reece James’ injury absence.

“He’s a winner, he’s got so much talent, he’s got so much fight, he’s massive for this group,” McFarlane said. “And the best thing about Enzo is that he can do a bit of everything, but when it gets tough, you see the fight in him, you see him driving the group on, you see him making tackles, you see him fighting for every loose ball. So he was exceptional today and deserved his Man of the Match.”

The victory ended Chelsea’s losing streak and marked their 17th FA Cup final appearance. Rosenior had confirmed earlier in the week that Fernández would serve a two-match internal suspension for comments suggesting interest in a move to Real Madrid and praising former coach Enzo Maresca’s departure. Fernández had apologized to Rosenior, the club hierarchy, and his teammates before returning to training.

Despite the suspension, Rosenior stated the incident had not divided the dressing room, saying Fernández’s return to training had been positive and that selection remained “business as usual.” However, Fernández did not feature in the match against Manchester City the following weekend, as Rosenior upheld the disciplinary decision.

Chelsea will now face Manchester City in the FA Cup final, aiming to add to their trophy collection after a turbulent period marked by managerial changes and off-field speculation surrounding their star midfielder.