Daniel Farke says nerves got better of Leeds United in first FA Cup semi-final for 39 years

Enzo Fernandez scored the Wembley game’s only goal, but Chelsea were much the better team in the first half, hitting a post through Malo Gusto. It turned when manager Farke changed Leeds' formation to four at the back for the second period.

The much-improved performance was bitter-sweet because it showed how below-par the Whites had been for 45 minutes. Even as they upped their game, they did not pose Robert Sanchez enough threat, although the same could be said for Chelsea when they were on top.

"We come away disappointed because we gave our supporters – our second-to-none fanbase – so much to dream about and of course we would have loved to let them dream a bit longer," reflected Farke.

"After a lost and tight game, you're always a bit disappointed.

"I don't want to miss saying congratulations to Chelsea that they're through to the final.

"It was a very tight game. It could have gone into both directions.

"I just saw the statistics in terms of expected goals, shots, shots on target, big chances missed, (and) we were the better side, but it's also fair to say that I think we were not at our free-flowing best in the first half.

"It was a bit unnecessary. We had losses of the ball in possession. We were sometimes even a bit clumsy in the build-up, and you could tell that players were perhaps a bit nervous.

"So much was made of this game and it's not that these players are used to playing in front of 90,000 at Champions League level once a week.

"Perhaps they were a bit too nervous to be at their very best level.

"(But) it was not the case that we were played out of the park. It was the other way around.

"We had the first big chance and such with a great save against Brenden Aaronson.

"But we more or less assisted them a little bit and the goal was an unnecessary, nervous mistake.

"We initiate, more or less, their counter-attack.

"If you have players like (Pedro) Neto, like Enzo, like Joao Pedro, of course they can find the back of net.

"(In the) second half we brought the game to them a lot, very early."

Farke, sometimes criticised for being too slow to make changes, brought on Anton Stach and Joe Rodon at the interval and changed formation to 3-4-2-1 to 4-3-3. Leeds looked much better balanced.

"We went for it man against man, the pressing, (and there were) great saves against Anton (Stach), against Dominic (Calvert-Lewin), but you also have to say our deliveries, our crosses, our set-piece deliveries, normally a big strength of ours, were not that tidy," commented Farke.

"Around the opponent's box we did not have this clarity, this tidiness, to create more clear-cut chances.

"Yet for everything we asked them, they had the answer, so you have to give credit to them, their defensive behaviour was pretty clinical."

Farke refused to comment on Chelsea forcing a tactical time-out when Robert Sanchez went down “injured” in the second half for fear of coming across as a bad loser.

Chelsea will face Manchester City in the final on May 16.