Benoit Badiashile’s late substitution during Wednesday night’s FA Cup fourth-round match against Aston Villa added to Chelsea’s injury concerns. One of the three changes in the lineup from Sunday’s defeat against Wolves included the French defender.
Until the 85th minute, Badiashile and his former Monaco defensive partner, Axel Disasi, had performed admirably. With Chelsea leading 3-0, Badiashile was replaced, and Alfie Gilchrist took over for the remainder of the game.
Despite conceding a late goal, Chelsea secured a 3-1 victory and progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup. This win comes as a significant relief for manager Mauricio Pochettino after a challenging week.
Thiago Silva, who had a tough personal week, was replaced by Badiashile in the starting lineup. Following the loss to Wolves, Silva’s wife appeared to call for Pochettino’s dismissal on social media.
Silva eventually entered the game to help secure the victory. During the second half, there was concern when Moises Caicedo suffered an injury, but despite appearing to be in discomfort, he managed to finish the match after receiving medical attention.
