Furious Leeds stars confront Chelsea players in 'cheating' row — Mail 26/4/26

Furious Leeds stars confront Chelsea players in 'cheating' row: Blues accused of telling Robert Sanchez to go down so team-mates could get instructions as former goalkeeper insists 'it must be stopped'

By LUKE POWER, SPORTS REPORTER

Leeds' players and staff confronted Chelsea after alleging that they told goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to go down in the second half of their FA Cup clash.

Chelsea were 1-0 up but Leeds were building momentum when the Spanish stopper went down in the 61st minute.

Sanchez waited to be attended to by medics while his team-mates went over to the sidelines to grab a drink and hear instructions from caretaker boss Calum McFarlane.

Daniel Farke's side were understandably miffed that the stoppage brought a halt to their progress and his stars protested vocally.

Leeds man Ethan Ampadu attempted to interrupt a conversation between McFarlane and Tosin Adarabioyo until Blues midfielder Romeo Lavia forcefully pushed him away.

Lavia and Ampadu continued to square up to each other as players and staff milled around the side of the pitch.

Daniel Farke and his coaches protested to the match officials while Leeds' fans chanted 'you cheating b******s'.

Of course, it is hard to tell in the moment whether an injury is legitimate and if a player is asking for treatment, those running the game are left with little choice but to let that happen.

Chelsea could also argue that in any case, their opponents also could use that time to make tweaks and give out instructions to their players.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former England goalkeeper Rob Green took issue with Chelsea.

He said: 'As a former 'keeper having played for Leeds, it was a plan as a 'keeper to go down. But it needs to be stopped.'

After the game, though, Farke did not aim barbs at Chelsea but said that his team would have to take responsibility for the defeat.

'I spoke about this several times this season, after a loss I want to show class, it would have just been seen as excuses,' he said.

'I spoke about what I think should be done and what I think of the behaviour, but I don't want to make a big topic. I would have said a few words about it had we turned the game. It'll just be 'he's crying because he loses' and I want to show some class.

'Of course we would have loved to let them dream a bit longer. I don't want to miss to say congrats to Chelsea first.

'Overall it was a very tight game, could have gone in both directions. I saw the statistics in terms of xG, shots, big chances missed and we were the better side.

'It's also fair to say we weren't at our free-flowing best, some unnecessary losses of possession, a bit clumsy in the build-up.

'You could tell the players were a bit nervous, so much was made of this game, it's also not that the players are used to playing in front of 90,000 on Champions League level once a week. They were a bit nervous to be at their best level.'

He added: 'Their keeper with great saves from Anton [Stach] and Dominic [Calvert-Lewin]. Our deliveries, our crosses, set-pieces were not that tidy today. We needed this tidiness to create more. They had the answer to everything we asked.'