FA Cup 2021-22 semi-finals
The FA Cup semi-finals will see Chelsea facing Crystal Palace at the Wembley Stadium in London on April 17, 2022. The other match will be Premier League title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool on the previous day in the same stadium.
Chelsea arriving into this clash after suffering a heartbreak against Real Madrid in the Champions League this midweek. Despite losing the first leg 3-1, the Blues took control of the tie and were leading by 3-0 in the second leg with around 30 minutes remaining on the clock at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
However, Los Blancos have established themselves as the comeback kings in the UEFA Champions League this season. After dumping Paris Saint Germain in the previous round with a Karim Benzema hattrick, Real Madrid turned their attention towards Chelsea.
Still going strong at the ripe old age of 37, Luka Modric produced a fantastic outside of the boot cross, from which Rodrygo got Real Madrid back on level terms in the aggregate. With extra time needed to separate the two sides, it was Karim Benzema who proved to be the saviour of Real Madrid once again, this time with a goal in the 105th minute of the match.
Chelsea’s European title defence may have come to a close but Thomas Tuchel will be proud of the fight his side put up for large parts at Real Madrid’s home ground. They will be hoping to take that momentum forward into the semi-final of the FA Cup on Sunday when they face neighbours Crystal Palace. Chelsea will be hoping to reach the final of the prestigious cup competition for the third time running.
The Blues had to settle for the runners-up silver medals in 2020 and 2021, but they’ve had a pretty comfortable route to the semi-final this season. They breezed past Chesterfield, Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, and Middlesbrough to make it to the Wembley Stadium.
Chelsea have scored a goal in every game since the EFL Cup final defeat to Liverpool. Although they had a momentary blip at the beginning of the month when they ended up losing to Brentford, Chelsea have now seemingly recovered from that position. Therefore, yet another shot at the FA Cup is firmly within their reach.
The head coach of Crystal Palace, Patrick Vieira, won the FA Cup final in 2005 with a perfectly placed free kick in his last game as an Arsenal player at the expense of Manchester United. As a player, he had won four FA Cup medals with the Gunners and would love to carry the same legacy forward as a coach.
Under him, Crystal Palace have been a firm side and Manchester City and Arsenal are well aware of their progress. However, last weekend’s loss against Leicester City showed how they are still a raw product and need plenty of finishing touches.
Crystal Palace have got the better of Millwall, Hartlepool United, Stoke City, and Everton in the effects of this season. They’ve also scored at least two goals in all of those matches and have conceded only a couple of goals overall. However, they are the only team left in the competition who do not have an FA Cup in their trophy cabinet.
The last time these two sides met each other, Chelsea had to struggle to pick up a 1-0 win at the Selhurst Park back in February. However, that win was Chelsea’s ninth consecutive victory against Crystal Palace and they will not be in any mood to slip up in the FA Cup after the heartbreak they suffered in Europe this week.
Meanwhile, Manchester City and Liverpool, who both sealed progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, will be up against each other in the other semi-final. The two sides also took on each other in the Premier League last weekend and that game ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
City and Liverpool are separated by just one point at the top of the Premier League table and are arguably the two best sides not just in England, but all of Europe. Therefore, this semi-final clash could also prove to be an eventful encounter.
FA Cup 2021-22 semi-finals schedule, fixtures and live India match times
All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)
FA Cup 2021-22 semi-finals
| Day and Date | Match | Venue | Time |
| Saturday, 16th April | Manchester City vs Liverpool | Wembley Stadium | 8.00 PM |
| Sunday, 17th April | Chelsea vs Crystal Palace | Wembley Stadium | 9.00 PM |
Where to watch FA Cup 2021-22 semi-finals live in India?
Live streaming of the FA Cup 2021-22 semi-finals in India will be available on the SonyLiv app and JioTV. One can watch the live telecast on the Sony Pictures Network.
The FA Cup semi-finals will be broadcast live over various channels, including Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony Six, and Sony Six HD, under the Sony Pictures Network and can be watched on TV in India.
