News

Blues’ Double Dose Of Cup Fever At The ESS

Chelsea’s Academy sides play two matches at the Electrical Services Stadium next week as The Blues get Cup fever.

On Tuesday 13 January, at 7.05pm, holders Chelsea host Huddersfield Town in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, before facing FC Porto in the Premier League International Cup just 24 hours later.

Chelsea continue their defence of the FA Youth Cup title they won in thrilling style last May with a 7-6 aggregate victory over Fulham. Having beaten Leeds United 2-0 in the third round, with goals from two of their brightest young talents, Izzy Brown and Dominic Solanke, The Blues now face The Terriers, who themselves beat Crystal Palace in December.

Admission for all supporters, including season ticket holders, is £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.

Chelsea’s Under 21 squad then face FC Porto B on Wednesday 14 January at 7.05pm in Group A of the inaugural Premier League International Cup – with free admission to see some of the future stars of world football.

FC Porto B, one of Europe’s most successful youth academies, were last season runners-up in the second division of Portuguese professional football and would have been promoted to the Primeira Liga had they been eligible.

Several of Chelsea’s Under 21 side have recently graduated to Jose Mourinho’s first-team squad, including Nathan Ake, Lewis Baker, Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who in December made his first-team debut against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.

Porto B, meanwhile, feature an array of Portuguese youth internationals, plus Venezuelan international defender Victor Garcia and Igor Lichnovsky, who was Chile’s captain at the 2013 Under 20 World Cup. FC Porto are Portugal’s most successful club, with 27 Primeira Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and two UEFA Cups in a total of 74 major honours, and this week qualified for the Champions League knock-out stages as winners of Group H.

Both matches will also be broadcast live on Chelsea TV.