Ethan Ampadu channels setbacks as Leeds face Chelsea in FA Cup semi-final | OneFootball

Ethan Ampadu says years of hurt are fuelling Leeds United as they prepare to face Chelsea in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, the captain suffered three consecutive relegations on loans at Sheffield United, Venezia and Spezia, then a play-off final defeat to Southampton with Leeds. Since then he has lifted the Championship title, returned to the Premier League, captained a historic win at Old Trafford and helped take Leeds back to Wembley.

He admitted he let himself enjoy the promotion parade from an open-top bus in the city centre, saying the lean years taught him resilience and to savour rare highs. He hopes this could be the start of something special, while stressing how much it has taken to reach this point.

Ampadu accepts the pre-match walk will stir memories of last year’s loss for him, Daniel Farke and team-mates, but insists they must park it once the whistle goes. He noted that adrenaline narrows focus on the game and said they are there to create new memories of their own.

He says he tries to stay level during the season, even with a final within reach. Leeds are one win from the final and two from European football, and he believes beating Chelsea would be a significant milestone for the club and the squad. The skipper added they respect the difficulty of the task but trust their qualities to push for the final.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk