The Blues are expected to make plenty of changes for this last-eight clash
'The worst 48 hours!' - Maresca furious with lack of support from fans
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Cardiff City host Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals this evening looking to keep their spectacular run in the competition going.
The Bluebirds have come through four rounds of the competition so far defeating Swindon Town, Cheltenham, Burnley and Wrexham with two of those victories coming against opponents in leagues above them. The League One leaders, who have won six of their last seven games, will be hoping to spring another shock win on Premier League opposition tonight.
Chelsea, meanwhile, can take one step closer to winning some domestic silverware under boss Enzo Maresca. The Italian has already led the Blues to title wins in the Uefa Conference League and Fifa Club World Cup with this match, against the lowest ranked team in the competition, providing an opportunity to challenge for his first one in England.
Maresca, who recently claimed his was under intense scrutiny from the club, is expected to make plenty of changes to his starting XI with key personnel such as Marc Cucurella going to miss out.
Follow all the updates from the Carabao Cup below:
Cardiff vs Chelsea live
Cardiff host Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with kick off at 8pm | Live on Sky Sports
Bluebirds have already beaten Premier League side Burnley and the Championship's Wrexham in the competition
Chelsea are expected to make changes with Enzo Maresca handing starting places to fringe players
31 seconds ago
Cardiff vs Chelsea live
Chelsea face a trip to Wales to take on Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals knowing that a win keeps them in the hunt for a first domestic trophy under boss Enzo Maresca.
Since taking on the head coach role, Maresca has led Chelsea to winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup but he is yet to earn success in England. The Blues currently sit fourth in the Premier League but are eight points behind leaders Arsenal and seem unlikely to mount a genuine title challenge.
As such, the Carabao Cup and FA Cup provide the ideal opportunity for Maresca, who recently called out a lack of support from the club, to build on the team’s previous successes.
Chelsea have the easiest draw on paper with Cardiff the lowest ranked team left in the competition. The League One outfit defeated Wrexham in the previous round and sit top of the table with a four point lead pointing to a fine run of form which could surprise the Blues if they aren’t quite at their best tonight.
Chris Wilson16 December 2025 17:10
5 minutes ago
Good evening
Hello all and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup clash with Cardiff City.
The Blues come into the game harbouring dreams of more silverware but are reeling off of Enzo Maresca’s post-match comments from the win over Everton, in which he described the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure thus far.
Can League One’s Cardiff capitalise on potential instability and pull of a major upset on home turf?
Stay tuned for all the build-up, team news and updates ahead of the clash!
Will Castle16 December 2025 17:05