Interim boss says Wembley victory could ease frustration of troubled campaign
Chelsea F.C. interim manager Calum McFarlane has challenged his players to salvage an underwhelming season by defeating Manchester City F.C. in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Chelsea head into the Wembley showdown struggling for consistency, having failed to win any of their last seven Premier League matches. The club currently sits ninth in the table, with hopes of securing a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League all but extinguished.
McFarlane, who stepped up from his role with Chelsea’s under-21 side, is serving his second spell as interim manager after replacing Enzo Maresca in January and later succeeding Liam Rosenior three months afterward.
Chelsea have endured a frustrating recent history in the FA Cup, losing finals in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Their last domestic trophy came in 2018, when they defeated Manchester United F.C. to lift the competition.
For McFarlane, ending that drought would offer at least some relief after a turbulent campaign.
“Our recent form in the league has been way below the standard we’d expect and that we’d shown previously. It’s an FA Cup final, so we want to win it,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“It’s a massive competition. When you’re at a club of this magnitude, and with the history this club has in winning silverware, there’s always pressure.”
Despite never having worked as a permanent senior manager, the 40-year-old said he intends to remain composed on the biggest occasion of his coaching career.
“I have managed a few games at this level; not of this magnitude of course, but I will try and stay as level as possible and the process will stay the same,” he said.
McFarlane’s short tenure has already included a notable semi-final victory over Leeds at Wembley, while Chelsea also held City to a 1-1 Premier League draw earlier in the season after matching tactical approaches with City manager Pep Guardiola.
Still, Chelsea’s recent record against Guardiola’s side underlines the scale of the challenge ahead. The London club has failed to beat City in 13 meetings since their victory in the 2021 Champions League final and suffered a heavy 3-0 home defeat in April.
“They’ve got the belief they can beat anyone,” McFarlane said of City. “We just know that we have to be the best version of ourselves. They’re an exceptional side, with an exceptional coach and exceptional players.”
He added: “These players have shown that if they’re at their best, they can beat anyone.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to surround Chelsea’s managerial future. The club has been strongly linked with former Real Madrid C.F. and Bayer 04 Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso as a potential permanent appointment.
Asked about the speculation, McFarlane declined to comment in detail.
“There’s a lot of names linked with the job,” he said. “It’s not really my place to say who should get it.”
