Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has detailed the reasoning behind his decisive half-time substitutions during Tuesday night's hard-fought Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over League One leaders Cardiff City.
Navigating a Tricky Cup Tie
The Blues secured their place in the semi-finals with a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge, but not before surviving a significant first-half scare against the well-drilled visitors. Alejandro Garnacho capitalised on a defensive error to put Chelsea ahead, only for David Turnbull to equalise with a superb diving header before the break.
Maresca's side, featuring several squad players, struggled to match Cardiff's organisation and energy in the opening period. The Italian coach acted swiftly at the interval, replacing young attackers Tyrique George and Marc Guiu, who were making rare starts.
Maresca's Justification for the Changes
Speaking after the game, Maresca expressed his relief at avoiding a potential cupset and explained his tactical thinking. He praised his players for navigating what he called a "tricky" encounter against a team managed by his old friend, Brian Barry-Murphy.
"These are the kind of games I fall in love even more with the players because you cannot imagine how easy it is to slip, to slide," said the Chelsea boss. He emphasised the need for vigilance, noting that Cardiff are "very well-organised" and "very intense" off the ball.
Maresca directly addressed the withdrawals of George and Guiu: "We expected some difficulties in the first half knowing Ty is not playing a lot, Guiu is not playing a lot, Facu (Buonanotte) is not playing a lot. They need minutes to be there."
Second-Half Transformation Seals Semi-Final Spot
The introduction of more established first-team players after half-time changed the dynamic of the match. Pedro Neto put Chelsea back in front late on, before Garnacho sealed the victory with his second goal of the night in stoppage time as Cardiff pushed for another equaliser.
"First half we were very good off the ball. We struggled to create chances, but we expected that," Maresca analysed. "Second half we changed it and we were better. We deserved to win the game."
On booking a semi-final berth, the manager added: "I am happy we are going to play another semi-final. It's what the fans deserve... Now you cannot imagine how happy I am for the players, it's another semi-final for them, and for the fans, for everyone."
The victory sets up a last-four clash for Chelsea, while Cardiff, who are four points clear at the top of League One, return to league action with their reputation enhanced after a fearless display at Stamford Bridge.
