Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Date: Sunday, 15 April
Kick-off: 1800 BST
It’s a bit special the FA Cup. Well, if you ignore the fact semis are played at Wembley – on a Sunday night – and the time of the final is no longer sacred either – it’s a bit special, if you’re in it.
We seem to quite like being in it really, given today sees our 20th semi-final and whilst of course, you can’t win them all, we have progressed from our last four so it’d be nice to think we’re on a roll. And whilst our six FA Cups fall a couple short of Tottingham’s eight, their last one was 21 years ago so let’s hope they continue the run they’re on there.
MANAGERS’ VIEWS
Ahead of today’s game, Harry Redknapp seems a bit underwhelmed with his side’s trophy haul in the last 20 years but fancies Spurs might change that this year, saying “This is a great opportunity for us to go all the way this year. On our day we can beat Chelsea. We can beat anyone. There is not a lot between the two teams, but they have the medals to show for it. They have been there and done it all in the last few years. Tottenham is a club that have won two trophies since 1991 and they were both Carling Cups so it’s about time Tottenham won another trophy.”
Ahead of his first of two semi finals as Chelsea manager, Roberto Di Matteo meanwhile, says “Nobody will have Barcelona at the back of their minds. We are going to be focused on the FA Cup, to try and reach the final. It is the period of the season where you play for all the trophies, so we will do our utmost to go to the next round. Whatever it takes for us to reach the (FA Cup) final, we will do. We are going to play it at the best of our ability and strength. This is a massive game for the players, the team and for the club, and for our supporters. A big, big game for us. I hope it is going to be a great game. Any time you play at Wembley it should be a spectacle because of the arena you play in. It is a dream to take the club you played for to a semi-final at Wembley.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Spurs, Heurelho Gomes (knee), Tom Huddlestone (ankle), Younes Kaboul (knee) and Michael Dawson (ankle) all miss out. Ledley King (knee) and Scott Parker (hamstring) are given as doubts.
For Chelsea, Ryan Bertrand (calf) and Oriol Romeu (illness) through injury whilst are also out, while Branislav Ivanovic starts his three-game suspension. Terry (ribs) and Cole (ankle) are both available again.
TEAMS
SPURS (from): Friedel, Cudicini, Assou-Ekotto, Rose, Gallas, Khumalo, Walker, King, Nelsen, Livermore, Sandro, Parker, Bale, Lennon, Dos Santos, Modric, Defoe, Adebayor, Saha, Van der Vaart, Lancaster, Luongo.
CHELSEA (from): Cech, Ferreira, Bosingwa, Terry, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Meireles, Lampard, Ramires, Mata, Malouda, Drogba, Torres, Sturridge, Kalou, Turnbull.
LAST MEETING
Chelsea 0-0 Spurs (24th March 2012)
PREDICTION
We’ve already had two draws from our meetings this season and as far as our FA Cup meetings go, it’s four apiece before today. Extra time and penalties are probably just about the last thing we would want going into today’s game – inevitable then?
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Blue is the colour
