Fernandez sends Chelsea into FA Cup final to lift gloom after Rosenior sacking

AFP | London

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Enzo Fernandez fired Chelsea into the FA Cup final against Manchester City as the Argentine sealed a 1-0 win against Leeds in the Blues’ first match after Liam Rosenior’s sacking.

Fernandez’s first-half header in yesterday’s semi-final at Wembley was an ironic twist after another farcical chapter in Chelsea’s turbulent recent history.

The 25-year-old midfielder emerged as a divisive figure towards the end of Rosenior’s brief reign after he was dropped for two games for hinting in an interview that he was considering leaving at the end of the season.

Rosenior’s handling of the incident undermined his already-fragile relationship with his squad as Chelsea’s form spiralled out of control.

He was sacked on Wednesday after a woeful run of five successive defeats without scoring -- the club’s worst streak since 1912 -- climaxed with Tuesday’s 3-0 hammering at Brighton.

Rosenior, who lasted only 106 days after arriving from Strasbourg, had sealed his fate by criticising the players’ desire and spirit against Brighton.

That outburst was the final straw for Chelsea’s owners, exposing a rift between Rosenior and his stars that included leaked team selections and several players, including Fernandez, publicly expressing frustration with his predecessor Enzo Maresca’s departure.

Chelsea’s woeful run has ruined their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League, leaving them 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with just four games left.