Cardiff against Chelsea: Pep’s protégés Barry-Murphy and Maresca reunite

It’s not just Maresca that Barry-Murphy will know in the opposition dugout at Cardiff City Stadium, with the Irishman having coached several Chelsea players at their previous clubs.

“It’s a bit unusual because of the crossover between the number of players who have been at Manchester City and even at the time at Rochdale, where I was Robert Sanchez’s manager, where he managed me. No, I love him,” jokes Barry-Murphy.

“I was at Leicester last season and Facundo Buonanotte was there, a brilliant player on loan from Brighton. Then there’s Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap – who is suspended – at Manchester City. All those guys, an unusual connection.”

Maresca has promised to make changes for this match, given Chelsea’s Premier League and Champions League commitments.

No matter how much he rotates his team, Chelsea will always be the overwhelming favorite, even if that label doesn’t come easily.

“These are the worst matches,” says Maresca. “Football is full of these kinds of matches where the favorite can lose.

“That’s why the focus needs to be on Cardiff.”

For Cardiff, there is nothing to lose.

Four points clear at the top of League One, playing attractive football with a team full of young local talent and welcoming former Champions League winners home on Tuesday, the Bluebirds have found their joy again this season.

“The biggest thing I’ve always learned from players is that there are different periods in my career where an event like tomorrow night was a pretty daunting task,” Barry-Murphy said.

“You think about the difficulties you might face, but the young players here are not afraid.

“They really attack every situation they face and try to overcome every obstacle.

“No matter what happens tomorrow, I am sure the players will give everything they have for the club and come out better the next day.”