Chelsea are concerned that the 6pm kick-off in their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday week will increase the potential for trouble between supporters and will cite the fear as further reason for the Football Association to consider an earlier start time. Chelsea continue to rage over the decision to play the game so late, particularly as they may have a Champions League semi-final the following Wednesday against Barcelona or Milan should they get past Benfica at Stamford Bridge .
The focus is on Benfica and Roberto Di Matteo, the interim manager, has been keen to give nothing away over his team selection. The defender David Luiz came off at half-time in Saturday's win at Aston Villa with an ankle problem while the striker Didier Drogba did not travel to the Midlands as he underwent treatment for a toe injury. Di Matteo will monitor the pair in the countdown to the tie, in which Chelsea will seek to prolong England's involvement in European competition this season.
Yet behind the scenes, Chelsea refuse to let the late FA Cup kick-off controversy lie. There is the sense at the club that the FA have bowed to the demands of ITV, who pushed to televise the fixture in a primetime slot and to avoid clashing with Sky's coverage of Manchester United's Premier League game against Aston Villa at 4pm. Since the FA Cup semi-finals went to the new Wembley in 2008, the Sunday tie has always kicked off at 4pm.
Chelsea and Tottenham could not play on the Saturday, as Liverpool, who face Everton in the other semi-final, had been granted dispensation not to play on 15 April, the 23rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. The Merseyside clubs will kick off at 12.30pm on the Saturday, which also does not seem ideal in terms of their supporters travelling to Wembley.
It would be naïve to suggest that Chelsea's principle motivation at present for playing the tie earlier on Sunday, or even the Friday night as Di Matteo had suggested, were not to allow them greater recovery time ahead of the possible Champions League game. But they are bothered by the social implications of the 6pm Sunday kick-off, which would increase pre-match drinking time for two sets of supporters with a history of animosity towards each other.
Chelsea are also worried that their younger fans might not be able to attend because of what would be a late return home; it would be later still if extra-time and penalties were needed. The club have made representation to the FA and there is the feeling that further discussion is required.
