Daniel Farke believes Chelsea could be more motivated to succeed at Wembley amid the change of head coach
09:00, 24 Apr 2026
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A dejected Liam Rosenior manager of Hull City during the Sky Bet Championship match Hull City vs Leeds United at MKM Stadium, Hull, United Kingdom, 20th September 2023 (Photo by James Heaton/News Images)
Daniel Farke is not under-estimating the test that Chelsea will pose his Leeds United side in this Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, stating that their players will now have a ‘fresh start’ with ‘excuses’ gone after the sacking of Liam Rosenior.
Calum McFarlane - who oversaw two games after Enzo Maresca’s exit - will take charge of the Blues until the end of the season, following Rosenior’s dismissal on Wednesday. Farke expressed sympathy for his counterpart, highlighting his age and how much potential he believes he has.
As for Sunday, the Leeds boss believes the change at the helm could invigorate Chelsea’s players. “When everyone was talking about the manager and the recent game days - right now this excuse is away,” said Farke. “It's up to the players to deliver, and everyone speaks [about how] they have to show the basics.
“It's always the same when top class players are showing the basics and have no excuses… it can be a really, really dangerous. And for that, I expect a Chelsea side who will be back to their best.
“I expect a side who will try to prove that it's a fresh start, and the burden is away. I expect them to be back to their best free-flowing football.”
Farke added of his own team, who are unbeaten in seven games and are nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone: “This doesn't take anything away that we want to be successful against them.
“And for that, we prepare to face a really strong, a really dangerous side - the side who is the favorite. But we have also shown against the top sides… we are even capable to bring in performance and to deliver a result.
“We know, if we have a top day and we deliver in a perfect way it’s one day, one game. There’s always a chance.
"This is also against the reigning champion of the Club World Cup and of course, we're not the favourite in this game. There's no doubt about this. But we also know that we play this game in a good moment.”
Rosenior lasted just 106 days in the role of head coach at Chelsea, which was his second stint in permanent charge at an English club, having spent two years at Hull City before joining Strasbourg in 2024.
Asked about the 41-year-old's exit, Farke said: “I mind my own business and don't take decisions for other clubs. First of all, you feel also for a colleague and a really good human being and a promising young manager like like Liam.
“He has done really well abroad and it's sometimes we forget - it's just a second season, more or less, in English football and this job comes along with lots of pressure. I'm pretty sure he will also still have a big career in management.
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“And let's not forget how young he is. He will also take this as a big experience and grow from it. You always feel for a manager, and you don't want the manager to lose his job, that's for sure.”
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