FA Cup

[monks data]

Attendance: 31,792

FA Cup | Quarter-Finals

Mar 18, 2018 at 4.30pm UK

Leicester Leicester City
1-2
Chelsea

Vardy (76')

FT
(aet)

Morata (42'), Pedro (105')

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte: 'Tiemoue Bakayoko substitution due to booking'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 19 March 2018

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says that Tiemoue Bakayoko's first-half booking led to his substitution at the break of the FA Cup encounter with Leicester City.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has revealed that Tiemoue Bakayoko's yellow card led to his early withdrawal from the FA Cup quarter-final clash with Leicester City.

Bakayoko has so far failed to live up to his £40m price-tag and on social media on Sunday afternoon, it was speculated that Conte had been unhappy with the French international's first-half performance after he was substituted at the break.

However, Conte has claimed that he did not want to take any risks over a potential sending-off, with the West Londoners looking to defend a lead after the restart.

At a press conference, the 48-year-old told reporters: "I think it was a decision because he took a yellow card and, as you know very well, we are talking about a player with great physicality.

"In a game like this, you have to prevent and try to avoid a second yellow card. Only for this reason I decided to change him after the first half."

Chelsea eventually recorded a 2-1 victory in the East Midlands courtesy of Pedro's extra-time header.