The Blues are facing a side they’ve already beaten 6-0 earlier this season.
Team news (via Sky Sports)
Barnsley
Aapo Halme, Ben Williams and Liam Kitching are likely to miss out with injury, but Romal Palmer and Toby Sibbick are back in the squad. The Championship side can also count on their new signing Daryl Dike.
Chelsea
Thiago Silva is out with a thigh issue. Hakim Ziyech is, on the other hand, expected to start after sitting out the last three games.
Stats to know (via Opta)
Barnsley have won both of their FA Cup meetings with Chelsea (4-0 in 1989 and 1-0 in 2008),
Chelsea have won 4 of their last 5 encounters with Barnsley in all competitions, including a 6-0 home win in the Carabao Cup this season.
Chelsea have been eliminated from just 2 of their last 54 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, including the aforementioned defeat to Barnsley in the 2007-08 season.
Tammy Abraham has contributed to eight goals in his last six FA Cup starts (5 goals, 3 assists).
Probable line-up
Daniel Lewis, Sports Mole: Barnsley 0-2 Chelsea
“Chelsea have been in good form over the past few weeks, winning four and drawing one of their last five matches. Tuchel is expected to make changes to his starting lineup on Thursday, but whatever side he fields should have enough strength to see off Barnsley.”
Quotes from the managers
Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea (via Chelsea FC): “The FA Cup is one of the most prestigious cups in the world, is played in Wembley. Even if you’re a little boy in Germany with no internet at that time and no sports channels where you can watch every game like nowadays, for sure you know the word Wembley and the words FA Cup.
“You know that it is a big game to play and a big goal to achieve, but my approach is always that tomorrow is the most important game of this cup campaign, because tomorrow is a decisive match and is an elimination match and we all know very well that we can expect anything in the game of football.”
Valerian Ismael, Barnsley (via The Athletic): “As a coach, he [Tuchel] is more possession-based, but he’s really creative, adaptable. All his teams play a lot of systems. He can play 3-4-3 and, if it doesn’t work, five minutes later he will change shape to be more effective. It’s the quality of a big manager.
“It’s good for Chelsea, he can work with the young guys and he can give the team more flexibility. I think it’s a great [manager] transfer for Chelsea.”
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