Cardiff v Chelsea preview
Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy says Cardiff Metropolis won’t be “intimidated” by Chelsea when the League One leaders try and safe a 3rd successive shock win on this season’s EFL Cup.
Having overwhelmed League Two golf equipment Swindon City and Cheltenham City within the first two rounds, the Bluebirds gained 2-1 at Premier League strugglers Burnley and knocked out Championship crew Wrexham by the identical scoreline to arrange a quarter-final with the two-time European champions.
“The anticipation for the sport ever because the draw was made has been evident in every single place we’ve been,” mentioned former Manchester Metropolis academy boss Barry-Murphy, who joined Cardiff in June.
“Fortunately, we’ve tried to detach ourselves from that as a lot as attainable whereas specializing in the league marketing campaign. Now that it’s right here, the sport goes to be extremely thrilling for everybody.
“All of us have aspirations of testing ourselves towards these on the highest degree of the sport. We’re a really huge membership with an enormous supporter base.
Phenomenal. 💫#CFC | #CHEEVE pic.twitter.com/wDoiH6FJQl
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 14, 2025
“We’ll must attempt to give these followers one thing to really feel exhilarated. Each sport we’ve performed within the competitors, we’ve tried to be on the entrance foot as a lot as attainable and present ourselves in essentially the most constructive gentle.
“It’s what the supporters need to see away and at dwelling. A crew of [Chelsea’s] calibre is clearly going to have the ball for spells of the sport, and we have now to point out the totally different sides of our sport to be in the proper form to compete with them.”
Fourth within the Premier League, Chelsea ended a four-match winless run in all competitions by beating Everton 2-0 at dwelling on Saturday earlier than a lot of the scrutiny fell on Enzo Maresca’s feedback that “the final 48 hours [had] been the worst as a result of many individuals didn’t assist us.”
Maresca once more refused to elaborate on Monday on the remarks, which have been interpreted by many as being aimed internally on the membership, and as an alternative known as for deal with opponents ranked 40 locations under Chelsea within the league.
“They’re high of the [table], enjoying good soccer and successful video games,” mentioned the Italian, praising Barry-Murphy.
“I do know Brian… I used to be the Beneath-23 coach [at Man City] and once I left, he took over from me. He got here to see us in classes and video games and he’s doing a incredible job at Cardiff.
“This can be a harmful sport for us and we have to listen and watch out. Now we have the chance to realize one thing essential, which is to succeed in the semi-finals.”
Cardiff Metropolis v Chelsea crew information
Rubin Colwill gained the participant of the spherical competitors for Cardiff’s win at Wrexham however the 23-year-old Wales attacking midfielder is out following ankle surgical procedure, whereas defender Ronan Kpakio is suspended for 2 bookings on this season’s competitors.
Ollie Tanner has returned to full coaching after being out for 4 months with an ankle harm sustained when he hit an promoting hoarding at AFC Wimbledon, however the winger shouldn’t be anticipated to play till January.
Gabriel Osho might return to rivalry following a toe harm the centre-back sustained within the 5-1 dwelling defeat to Wimbledon within the EFL Trophy on December 2.
With the scoreline 2-2, Barry-Murphy made a triple change in Cardiff’s 4-3 dwelling league win over lowly Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, bringing on defenders Dylan Lawlor and Perry Ng and ahead Chris Willock for Will Fish, Ronan Kpakio and Isaak Davies.
Cardiff prevailed by way of a 99th-minute purpose by left-back Joel Bagan, and their boss is for certain to need to see his aspect tighten up significantly from that show.
The winner 👊#CityAsOne | @joelbagan pic.twitter.com/N0KWuwalt5
— Cardiff Metropolis FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 14, 2025
Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer scored his first purpose since September within the win over Everton, however Maresca mentioned the England ahead can be rested as a part of a season interrupted by a groin harm.
“Now we have numerous gamers who should be protected,” defined Maresca, including that Palmer “must be positive” for the league journey to Newcastle on Saturday.
“The goal is to guard them and handle them. Cole is without doubt one of the gamers who deserves to be protected proper now. On this second, he’s not obtainable to play two video games in three days.”
Dario Essugo is unlikely to be risked because the midfielder recovers from a thigh concern. Defender Levi Colwill (knee), midfielder Romeo Lavia (thigh) and ahead Liam Delap (who would have been suspended and has a shoulder concern) are injured.
Moises Caicedo is offered after finishing a three-match league ban. Winger Mykhailo Mudryk is suspended indefinitely.
Cardiff v Chelsea predicted beginning lineups
Cardiff Metropolis beginning XI: Nathan Trott, Perry Ng, Will Fish, Calum Chambers, Joel Bagan, Cian Ashford, Ryan Wintle, Omari Kellyman, Alex Robertson, Isaak Davies, Yousef Salech
Chelsea beginning XI: Filip Jorgensen, Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jorrel Hato, Estevao, Moises Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, Tyrique George
Tips on how to watch Cardiff v Chelsea: TV channel, reside on-line stream
Kick-off on Tuesday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with reside protection within the UK on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion, Sky Sports activities Soccer and Sky Sports activities Extremely.
By way of Now TV, Sky Sports activities prices £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.
Sky Sports activities memberships embody entry to all 12 reside Sky Sports activities channels and Sky Sports activities+, which presents reside streams and a devoted channel.
Streaming is offered on an enormous number of gadgets through the Sky GO app.
Cardiff Metropolis v Chelsea stats
- Cardiff have gained their final 5 league matches, scoring a minimum of three objectives in 4 of these video games
- Their tally of 32 objectives on this season’s third tier is one of the best by 4, whereas their purpose distinction is six superior to every other aspect
- No participant has scored extra objectives within the 2025/26 division than Yousef Salech, who has yet one more purpose and help mixed than every other participant in League One and opened his account on this season’s EFL Cup with the primary purpose of the sport towards Wrexham
- Metropolis have had essentially the most photographs on course (32) of any crew on this season’s EFL Cup and common essentially the most correct makes an attempt per 90 minutes of any membership within the quarter-finals (8)
- They’ve misplaced all 5 of their conferences with Chelsea – 4 within the Premier League, one within the FA Cup – since a 2-1 EFL Cup dwelling win in October 1986, after they suffered a last-16 defeat at Shrewsbury City of their subsequent tie
- Solely Crystal Palace (16) have taken extra away factors on this season’s Premier League than Chelsea (14), whose two EFL Cup wins have come away to Wolves and League One membership Lincoln Metropolis
- Earlier than their defeat at Newcastle in final season’s fourth spherical, Chelsea had attain the EFL Cup remaining in two of the earlier three campaigns, shedding to Liverpool on each events
- Other than Queens Park Rangers (21.9), Chelsea have the youngest common participant age within the 2025/26 EFL Cup (22.3)
- Blues winger Jamie Gittens and Cardiff’s Rubin Colwill are among the many 15 gamers to have assisted twice in the course of the first 4 rounds, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Tom Watson – whose aspect misplaced to Arsenal in spherical 4 – the one participant to have arrange three objectives
- Solely Liverpool (10), Manchester Metropolis (8) and Manchester United (6) have gained the EFL Cup extra instances than Chelsea (5)
