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    Middlesbrough vs Chelsea news: Will Blues become Boro’s third Premier League victim?

    Seb SternikSeb Sternik19 March 2022
    Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta celebrates after scoring during the return leg of the a UEFA Champions League 1/8 finals match

    Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta celebrates after scoring during the return leg of the a UEFA Champions League 1/8 finals match

    Having already knocked out two Premier League sides in the FA Cup, Middlesbrough will have little fear when the European Champions arrive at the Riverside stadium.

    The build-up to Saturday's game has been somewhat controversial following Chelsea's failed attempt to try and force this match behind closed doors. 

    The club's request was met with ridicule and was even branded as 'ironic in the extreme' by their upcoming Championship opponents.

    If that wasn't enough, there were also question marks over how the Blues would get to the northern town.

    But despite the off-field turmoil mounting, Chelsea have been getting the job done when it comes to the actual football.

    In fact, it appears that the ongoing situation has galvanised Thomas Tuchel's side, who are now on a five-match winning run.
    Middlesbrough aren't quite as consistent, but Chris Wilder's side shouldn't be underestimated. This is a side which has already knocked out Manchester United and Tottenham from the competition.
    What's more, Boro have nothing to lose, and that fact alone is enough to make anyone dangerous.

    When: Saturday, March 19, 17:15 GMT

    Where: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough

    Where to watch: BBC One

    Follow this game via our score centre

    Who is the ref for Middlesbrough vs Chelsea?

    Paul Tierney, referee
    Paul Tierney will take charge of the action on Saturday in what will be his third FA Cup game of the season.

    The 41-year-old has taken charge of five Chelsea fixtures since the start of the campaign, with the Blues enjoying a perfect record under his stewardship.

    Season stats 2021/22: Matches (25), yellow cards (96), red cards (2), penalties (6)

    Recent form

    Middlesbrough come into Saturday's encounter having lost just one of their last five games.
    Wilder's men kicked off the month of March by beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in extra-time of their round-of-16 FA Cup tie.

    The team maintained their momentum with a 2-1 win over Luton in the league, but then fell to a 4-1 loss against Sheffield United as the Boro boss endured a forgettable return to Bramall Lane.

    Middlesbrough then bounced back with a goalless draw at Millwall and a 2-0 win away against Birmingham.
    Chelsea, in contrast, enter this weekend's game in fine form having won all their games since their dramatic Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool.
    Tuchel's men knocked Luton out of the FA Cup and backed that up by thrashing Burnley 4-0 in the league.
    The Blues went on to beat Norwich and Newcastle before travelling to Lille in the Champions League and confirming their place in the quarter-final with a 2-1 win.

    Last time out

    Chelsea 3-0 Middlesbrough (Premier League - May 8, 2017)

    On their way to winning the 2016/17 title, Chelsea enjoyed a stellar 3-0 win over Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge.
    Diego Costa opened the scoring, while Marcus Alonso made it 2-0 before half-time.
    Boro struggled to get going and ultimately conceded again as Nemanja Matic completed a comprehensive victory for the Blues with a 65th minute goal.

    Managers' thoughts:

    Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder shared his thoughts on Tuchel saying: "I don't want to disrespect Chelsea, they did great things during Covid. Thomas has conducted himself amazingly this week - it's been no surprise. I met him last season after a match and he spent 45 mins in the office chatting with my staff. That's unique. World class operator."
    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed his team will travel by plane saying: "Everybody worked hard to make it happen and it has gone through,' the Blues head coach said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
    "So it's organised that we can travel by plane, which is very, very good because as you know, we had the last match (against Lille) with only two days in between to rest, and it's very important to minimise the time of travel and maximise the time for recovery to reduce the risk of injury."

    Predicted Middlesbrough vs Chelsea teams

    Thomas Tuchel denies rumours to Manchester United

    Andreas Christensen presents Tuchel with the only fresh injury worry after the player was forced to come off against Lille.

    Middlesbrough, on the other hand, should have Anfernee Dijksteel, Andraz Sporar and James Lea Siliki at their disposal this weekend.
    The Championship outfit have no new injury worries, although Riley McGree and Martin Payero remain on the sidelines.
    Possible Middlesbrough starting line-up: Lumley, Dijksteel, Fry, McNair, Jones, Tavernier, Howson, Crooks, Taylor, Balogun, Connolly
    Possible Chelsea starting line-up: Kepa, Chalobah, Rudiger, Sarr, Ziyech, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Werner; Lukaku

    Middlesbrough vs Chelsea prediction

    Middlesbrough have enjoyed an incredible run in the FA Cup this season, but getting past Chelsea may prove a step too far.
    The European champions might be in a mess away from the field, but on it they've been hard to stop.
    With that in mind, back Chelsea to win 3-1 away at the Riverside.

    READ MORE: El Clasico, De Klassieker, Derby della Capitale! Are you ready for Sunday’s derby bonanza?

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