Chelsea vs Man City Schedule: McFarlane's Expectations for The Blues
Calum McFarlane, Chelsea’s interim coach, has called on his team to give their best performance when they face Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The Chelsea vs Man City FA Cup schedule will take place at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday (15/5/2026) at 9:00 PM WIB.
McFarlane believes that his team is ready to face this big test and emphasised the importance of the highest level of play from the Chelsea players.
“The players believe they are capable of beating anyone – we just need to be the best version of ourselves,” said McFarlane.
Regarding the strength of Manchester City, McFarlane admits that Pep Guardiola’s team is a very tough opponent with a quality coach and players.
Chelsea has also failed to win against Man City in the last five years, with The Blues’ last victory coming in the 2021 Champions League final. Since then, they have lost 10 times and only managed to draw three times.
Although acknowledging City’s superiority, McFarlane is optimistic that Chelsea can also pose a serious threat.
“This will definitely be a big challenge. However, we also have great players who have proven that when they perform at their best, they are capable of beating anyone,” he added.
McFarlane explained that preparing for a match of this calibre usually requires a special approach, but the limited time means they will continue with their usual routine.
He and the Chelsea coaching staff are trying to control the tension and emotions that arise ahead of this important match.
“We will maintain the same work process every day, including group and individual meetings with the players,” he said.
One of McFarlane’s troops’ tasks is to contain Erling Haaland, who has a poor record in final matches.
Erling Haaland has played in nine finals (including the Community Shield) and has taken 15 shots on goal without success.
His last goal in a final was for Borussia Dortmund against RB Leipzig in May 2021 in the German DFB Pokal, where he scored two goals.