Chelsea seek FA Cup salvation after tumultuous season, Man City still eye treble

LONDON, May 14 : A season that began with Chelsea as FIFA Club World Cup winners has unravelled into poor form, managerial upheaval and fan protests, but redemption could still come in Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City.

For Chelsea, it is all or nothing as they try to shake off the turmoil currently enveloping the west London club and win their first domestic trophy for eight years.

"It's time for us to grab it with both hands and give it our all," Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah said. "It has not been the season we wanted, but we have the chance to win a trophy."

Chelsea have sacked Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior this season and are out of contention for Champions League qualification and a mark of the current climate at Chelsea is a planned march down Wembley Way against the club's BlueCo ownership organised by fans' group "Not a Project CFC".

Even victory might not placate them but it would end a horrible long losing streak in domestic finals, including a record three successive FA Cup finals - against Leicester City, Arsenal and Liverpool between 2020-22.

For Manchester City, victory would keep alive their slender hopes of a domestic treble, having already won the League Cup and still hunting Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Not that the favourites will be taking anything for granted despite Chelsea sitting ninth in the league standings having failed to win any of their last seven games.

City suffered upsets in the last two FA Cup finals, beaten by Crystal Palace last year and Manchester United in 2024.

"It's a pleasure to go to the cathedral again to play the final. Hopefully it's better than the last two times," manager Pep Guardiola said after Wednesday's 3-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace