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Chelsea sack Rosenior, interim wins FA Cup, boss search begins

4/28/2026

28 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Chelsea Names Interim

Chelsea dismissed manager Liam Rosenior and named Calum McFarlane interim head coach.
McFarlane guided Chelsea to a 1-0 FA Cup win over Leeds United on Sunday.
The club will interview Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Xabi Alonso as candidates for the permanent manager role.
BlueCo’s sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart oversee hiring as Chelsea sit eighth in the Premier League and appear set to miss the Champions League.

Summary

Fernández Leads Victory

Enzo Fernández captained Chelsea and scored the decisive 23rd-minute header in the FA Cup semi-final versus Leeds.
Coach McFarlane praised his versatility and said he finished with 13 goals, eight in the league.
He added four Carabao Cup goals and a second FA Cup goal.
At halftime he sent goalkeeper Robert Sánchez for treatment, aiding team’s adjustment to Leeds’ formation while Nairobi fans debated his shift from villain to hero.

History

Historical Context

After Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in July 2003, he dismissed Claudio Ranieri on 31 May 2004 and appointed José Mourinho, whose first season produced a record 95 points and a league title. In 2024, BlueCo’s directors removed Liam Rosenior, naming interim Calum McFarlane, who guided a 1-0 FA Cup win over Leeds, echoing past swift managerial changes.

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Chelsea Names Interim

Chelsea dismissed manager Liam Rosenior and named Calum McFarlane interim head coach.
McFarlane guided Chelsea to a 1-0 FA Cup win over Leeds United on Sunday.
The club will interview Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Xabi Alonso as candidates for the permanent manager role.
BlueCo’s sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart oversee hiring as Chelsea sit eighth in the Premier League and appear set to miss the Champions League.

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