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Mauricio Pochettino has revealed why Enzo Fernandez was taken off early in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup quarter-final win against Newcastle.
Fernandez was substituted after 32 minutes but the Blues went on to beat their opponents 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Callum Wilson opened the scoring early on and it took 92 minutes of blunt, profligate football until Mykhailo Mudryk sealed the equaliser that would take the game to spot-kicks.
Fernandez was seen with teary eyes after the match and now Pochettino has confirmed the reason he was taken off for Armando Broja a little over half an hour in.
Mauricio Pochettino has shared the reason why Enzo Fernandez had to come off 32 minutes into Chelsea’s Carabao Cup win over Newcastle
He revealed that the 22-year-old was feeling unwell and asked to be taken off during the match
Pochettino said: ‘He felt sick. He didn’t feel well before the game and then when he started to play, it wasn’t going well. He asked to come out because he wasn’t feeling well.
‘He was a little bit sick before the game. He tried, he wanted to play, see if it goes well but it goes not so well and that is why [he looked upset].’
He also told reporters that Levi Colwill’s half-time substitution was not injury-related.
The Chelsea boss said: ‘Colwill was more tactics. He was a little bit tired at the end of the first half. Levi is going to be ready for the next game.
‘My perception was he was a little bit tired and we wanted a more offensive player to provide more energy. That was why we go for the option.’
Pochettino will quietly fancy his side’s chances in the competion, knowing that Fulham and Middlesbrough are also in the semi-finals.
They will be joined by either Liverpool or West Ham.
It has been a disheartening December for Chelsea, with wins over Brighton and Sheffield United punctuated by losses away at Manchester United and Everton.
Levi Colwill was also taken off but Pochettino said that it was merely a tactical decision
Mykhailo Mudryk equaliser after 92 minutes to take the game to penalties, where Djordje Petrovic saved the day
Petrovic kept out Matt Ritchie’s penalty to ensure that the Blues won 4-2 on spot-kicks
While the Blues were far from their best, knocking Newcastle out will go some way to healing the wounds of the humiliating 4-1 defeat at St James’ Park late in November.
Djordje Petrovic was the hero for the Stamford Bridge faithful on Tuesday night, saving Matt Ritchie’s penalty to ensure safe passage to the Carabao Cup final four.
