{"id":1241,"date":"2026-04-27T06:00:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T06:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=1241"},"modified":"2026-04-27T06:00:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T06:00:51","slug":"furious-leeds-stars-confront-chelsea-players-in-cheating-row-blues-accused-of-telling-robert-sanchez-to-go-down-so-team-mates-could-get-instructions-as-former-goalkeeper-insists-it-must-be-stopped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=1241","title":{"rendered":"Furious Leeds stars confront Chelsea players in ‘cheating’ row: Blues accused of telling Robert Sanchez to go down so team-mates could get instructions as former goalkeeper insists ‘it must be stopped’"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By LUKE POWER, SPORTS REPORTER <\/p>\n

Published:<\/span>

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Leeds’ players and staff confronted Chelsea after alleging that they told goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to go down in the second half of their FA Cup clash.<\/p>\n

Chelsea were 1-0 up but Leeds were building momentum when the Spanish stopper went down in the 61st minute. <\/p>\n

Sanchez waited to be attended to by medics while his team-mates went over to the sidelines to grab a drink and hear instructions from caretaker boss Calum McFarlane.<\/p>\n

Daniel Farke’s side were understandably miffed that the stoppage brought a halt to their progress and his stars protested vocally.<\/p>\n

Leeds man Ethan Ampadu attempted to interrupt a conversation between McFarlane and Tosin Adarabioyo until Blues midfielder Romeo Lavia forcefully pushed him away. <\/p>\n

Lavia and Ampadu continued to square up to each other as players and staff milled around the side of the pitch. <\/p>\n

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Things got heated \ud83d\ude2c<\/p>\n

What are your thoughts on this? Leeds players thought Chelsea\u2019s staff had asked Robert Sanchez to take a seat. pic.twitter.com\/f5l5ZmA0u4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 26, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n

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\"Leeds <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Leeds and Chelsea clashed as the Blues enjoyed a somewhat suspicious medical timeout <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Robert <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Robert Sanchez had gone down with a supposed injury – but Leeds thought it was fake<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Daniel Farke and his coaches protested to the match officials while Leeds’ fans chanted ‘you cheating b******s’.<\/p>\n

Of course, it is hard to tell in the moment whether an injury is legitimate and if a player is asking for treatment, those running the game are left with little choice but to let that happen.<\/p>\n

Chelsea could also argue that in any case, their opponents also could use that time to make tweaks and give out instructions to their players. <\/p>\n

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former England goalkeeper Rob Green took issue with Chelsea.<\/p>\n

He said: ‘As a former ‘keeper having played for Leeds, it was a plan as a ‘keeper to go down. But it needs to be stopped.’<\/p>\n

After the game, though, Farke did not aim barbs at Chelsea but said that his team would have to take responsibility for the defeat. <\/p>\n

‘I spoke about this several times this season, after a loss I want to show class, it would have just been seen as excuses,’ he said. <\/p>\n

‘I spoke about what I think should be done and what I think of the behaviour, but I don’t want to make a big topic. I would have said a few words about it had we turned the game. It’ll just be ‘he’s crying because he loses’ and I want to show some class.<\/p>\n

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\"Chelsea's <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Chelsea’s staff used the break as an opportunity to dish out instructions to their stars <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

‘Of course we would have loved to let them dream a bit longer. I don’t want to miss to say congrats to Chelsea first.<\/p>\n

‘Overall it was a very tight game, could have gone in both directions. I saw the statistics in terms of xG, shots, big chances missed and we were the better side.<\/p>\n

‘It’s also fair to say we weren’t at our free-flowing best, some unnecessary losses of possession, a bit clumsy in the build-up. <\/p>\n

‘You could tell the players were a bit nervous, so much was made of this game, it’s also not that the players are used to playing in front of 90,000 on Champions League level once a week. They were a bit nervous to be at their best level.’<\/p>\n

He added: ‘Their keeper with great saves from Anton (Stach) and Dominic (Calvert-Lewin). Our deliveries, our crosses, set-pieces were not that tidy today. We needed this tidiness to create more. They had the answer to everything we asked.’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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