Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Chelsea, has explained why he substituted Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time during the match against Middlesbrough.

Pochettino highlighted that Mudryk was playing too riskily after receiving a yellow card within the first 12 minutes of the game.

Pochettino noted an action towards the end of the first half by Mudryk that was considered too risky, almost resulting in a second yellow card. To avoid the risk of having Mudryk sent off, Pochettino decided to substitute him at the break.

This decision was part of Pochettino’s broader strategy to manage the game effectively, considering the team’s overall performance and the need to maintain discipline on the pitch.

Chelsea eventually secured a spot in the EFL Cup finals by defeating Middlesbrough 6-1 in the second leg of their semi-final clash.

When asked if Mudryk’s substitution was due to an injury issue, Pochettino replied: “No. If you watch the game, he got a yellow card. He got a yellow card and then there was an action at the end of the first half that was too risky, that nearly touched the opponent and got a second [yellow card], and we did not want to take a risk with him. It was an unnecessary risk to have him on the pitch. That is why we changed it.”