Brentford v Chelsea
The FA Cup with Budweiser
Fourth Round Proper
12noon, Sunday 27 January 2013
Griffin Park, Brentford FC
Live on ESPN,
Winning clubs receive £90,000 from The FA's Prize Fund
Click here for fixtures

Marcel Desailly has warned Chelsea that they will face 90 ‘hard but beautiful’ minutes on Sunday, when they take on neighbours Brentford in The FA Cup.

The west London derby was set up when League One high-fliers Brentford saw off Southend United in a Third Round replay last week.

Chelsea’s reserves and youth team have used Brentford's Griffin Park as their home in recent years and it’s 63 years since the two clubs last met in competition.

That was an FA Cup tie too, which Chelsea edged by a single goal in January 1950.

And it’s the magic of The Cup which still excites Desailly, who won the world's oldest cup competition with Chelsea in 2000.

He told FATV: "It's something very special.

"First of all, you know you're going to face a very difficult game because The FA Cup is something very important.

"It's the opportunity for those smaller clubs to express themselves and perform.

"For sure, it's 90 very hard minutes to play, but beautiful minutes because when it's hard, it's also sweet.

"I hope the crowd will enjoy the game.”

Desailly spent six seasons at Stamford Bridge after previously enjoying hugely successful spells with AC Milan and Marseille.

And he admits that nothing could prepare him for English football better than the spirit of The FA Cup.

"I experienced The FA Cup at the old Wembley, the various games, the fighting spirit  and it was a great experience,” he added.

"You need to be ready and committed. You realise when you play against people like Duncan Ferguson and (Dion) Dublin that it's a different level, a different spirit.”

Watch the full interview with Desailly, who was in England for the FA150 launch, in the Media Gallery above.