Benitez snubs Terry and Lampard for FA cup semi-final

According to several media reports, Rafael Benitez is tomorrow expected to a make a momentous decision of dropping both Terry and Lampard who have been the back bone of Chelsea for last decade. In doing so, he will be the first manager to drop both Frank Lampard and John Terry from a Chelsea team which played in major cup semi-final or final.

Chelsea have played in 34 semi-finals or finals in the Roman Abramovich era since 2003 during which both Terry and Lampard have never missed a game for which they were fully fit and available.

Benitez has been rotating his squad over recent weeks and it seems that he has made up his mind to gamble on the most influential duo from the most successful team in Chelsea’s history.

When asked particularly about the how difficult it is leaving out ‘big-name’ players, Benitez said: “To leave any player out of the team, especially when they are training and working hard, is quite difficult. But it’s something you have to do. And you have to explain to them. It depends on the players.

“Some are only okay if they go and will play. Some can’t play at the same level two games in a row. You have to make decisions.”

To take the cue from above quotes and considering that Lampard played the full 90 minutes of the Europa League second leg against Rubin Kazan, it is widely expected that Ramires and Mikel will play in holding positions which gives Oscar, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard the freedom to roam.

Lampard too admitted that he is the dark over whether he would start, and it was upt0 to the gaffer to decide.

“That depends on how you’re playing and what manager you have, and relationships, and things change,” Lampard said. “I don’t think anyone is an automatic selection with the manager at the minute as we see because there are lots of games and he’s changing it regularly.

“We’re not sure we’re playing on Sunday. I’m like everyone else: I want to play every game but it’s not possible.”

It’s truly amazing that Lampard and Terry have started every FA Cup semi-final and final since 2006, playing every minute as Chelsea went on to win seven times at Wembley which propelled them to lifting the trophy in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012.