Leeds United v Chelsea: Ethan Ampadu inspired by new memories, not old ones, at Wembley — Yorkshire Post 25/4/26

By Stuart Rayner

For a self-styled "emotional" club to play at Wembley in their first FA Cup semi-final in 39 years will be a sentimental experience for Leeds United. For Ethan Ampadu, it goes deeper still.

Such is the fast-moving pace of modern football, captain Amapdu is one of only six players who took part in Leeds' last game at Wembley, two years ago in the Championship play-off final. Karl Darlow was an unused substitute, Pascal Struijk injured.

On top of that, Sunday's opponents are Chelsea, where Ampadu was destined to make a name for himself when he joined as a 16-year-old already in the Wales squad.

It never quite worked out that way.

He did play for the Blues, 12 times, but spent much more time on loan – in Germany with RB Leipzig, in Yorkshire with Premier League Sheffield United, and in Serie A with Venezia and Spezia.

He made the bench for 2019 Europa League final against Arsenal, but never got off it, making fewer appearances for Chelsea than Wales that season, all in cup games.

Not until he joined Leeds in 2023 did Ampadu finally find a home.

The Stamford Bridge years are not ones he wants to think about as he strives to make happier memories in the yellow, white and blue of Leeds.

"I understand why people might dwell on my past, but that’s gone," he says. "I had some good memories, but didn’t manage to play in that Europa League final. Hopefully I get a chance to play in this one."

Southampton's 1-0 win will be in the back of his mind.

"With Leeds United, that’s our last memory there,” he says. “But you have to park that, remember how you felt and do everything you can to try to avoid that feeling again.

"When you’re in the momentum of the game and you've got that adrenaline, you don’t focus on that."

The guarded defensive midfielder does open up a fraction when asked about the tough times after being fast-tracked into international football following 13 appearances for League Two Exeter City.

"It’s maybe why I went a bit too hard in the parade!" he smiles, referring to his Freddie Flintoff impression on last year’s open-top bus tour with the Football League trophy.

"You have to become resilient, remember what you are doing it for and create those good moments.

"For me they haven’t come around too often but what I love about this place is we are striving to achieve a lot more. Hopefully this could be the start of something special but it’s taken a lot to get there."

If the past is not something the 25-year-old wants to speak about, Leeds' present is a happier topic.

On Wednesday the Whites hit 40 points for the season, the traditional target for sides worried about their Premier League status. The dreadful performances of newly-promoted teams lowered the bar in the last couple of years, but Leeds – and Sunderland – have raised it again.

Amapdu has been integral to that, Daniel Farke's captain and often singled out by him as his best player.

Staying in the Premier League matters a lot. It pays the bills. But being a fan is about memories, and Leeds have not had enough good ones at Wembley.

Before Southampton, their previous final there was in the 1996 League Cup. They failed to show up.

It is 1973 since they have been to the FA Cup final, when the holders were beaten by Division Two Sunderland. It is 1987 since they were even in the semi-finals.

Now, though, there is genuine optimism this could be different – partly because of the chaotic state of managerless Chelsea but more the confidence surging through a Leeds team unbeaten in seven.

"We are in this to make memories, to have those moments with the fans – as many as we can create and enjoy with the fans," says Ampadu.

"At the end of the last home game you could hear them singing about Wembley so we know they are going to be excited for it.

"It’s going to be a big day for the club but we don’t just want to be there for it to be a big day. We are going there with an aim.

"We know it’s going to be a difficult game but we know what we can bring to this game, the confidence we have in this squad and our ability to get to that final."

Ampadu is looking forward to entertaining those on the terraces.

"Wherever we go, no matter what stadium, no matter how far they’ve got to travel, they are always there in their numbers with their loud voices," he says. "We have to give them something to enjoy.

"My message to them would be to be themselves, be loud, get behind us because we are going to try to make it another special day."

Quite what Chelsea Leeds will face after Liam Rosenior's Wednesday-evening sacking remains to be seen, but they can take confidence from having beaten Enzo Maresca's Blues in December and drawn with Rosenior's in February.

"It’s a different game, different occasion, but we have to take confidence," is Amapdu's response.

"We will prepare like we have in the past. We have got to be on it.

"We will be prepared for the best Chelsea we are going to get and we will try to be the best Leeds United.

"At the start of the season we had confidence and targets. The FA Cup you have to take game by game. We have a few more games left to make it a season to remember."