'We're Still in it': Swansea Boss Carlos Carvalhal Takes Positive From FA Cup Draw to Wednesday

Swansea boss Carlos Carvalhal remains confident that his side can progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after his side were held to a goalless drawby a stubborn Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. 

The FA Cup fifth round tie will be replayed at the Liberty Stadium after neither team were able to break the deadlock in what was a game of few chances and little quality. 

Carvalhal left the Owls in December with the club in 15th place and without a victory in seven games. Nevertheless, he had previously guided the Championship outfit to two consecutive play-off finishes and the warm Hillsborough reception confirmed that his three-year tenure is fondly remembered by many in Sheffield. 

His return might not have panned out as well as he would have hoped for, but the former Besiktas boss was nonetheless pleased with the fact his side remains in the cup: “We have another replay. It’s a bit like Police Academy. You have the first one, then Police Academy 2, then Police Academy 3,” Carvalhal told Swansea's official website. 

"But it’s the reality that we have to play another replay and that’s okay. We are still in the cup and that’ a positive.

“We will have another game and we will have another chance to progress to the next stage. I have said before that we are underdogs in this competition. That’s not because we are weak, but it’s because our main competition is the Premier League.

“We are still in the competition because my players are competitors and they always try to win.

“Credit to Sheffield Wednesday, they pressed us in the first 20 minutes and they made it difficult for us,” Carvalhal added.

“We made some changes and it’s not easy to play with the same dynamic when you do that. But after 20 minutes we started to control the ball and the second half was different. We played better – we moved the ball to the right and to the left and we blocked their counter-attacks well.

“The end result is fair, though, so let’s go to another game – Police Academy 3.”