Chelsea provide Wrexham with a reminder of the challenges in achieving Premier League aspirations.

Welcome to the Premier League, Wrexham.

The EFL Championship team, owned by Hollywood figures, aspires to reach the most prestigious and glamorous league globally. However, Chelsea and Alejandro Garnacho provided an early indication of what to anticipate should they achieve this goal this season.

Wrexham demonstrated their readiness to compete with the elite in their 4-2 defeat in the FA Cup fifth round, but the Premier League can be harsh and unforgiving, and Chelsea—assisted by VAR—highlighted the lethal instinct of the top teams.

– VAR review: Why was Wrexham’s Dobson sent off for foul on Garnacho?
– After five years of Reynolds/Mac, Wrexham are on cusp of Premier League
– Championship promotion race: Who’s going up to the Premier League?

Despite taking the lead twice against the FIFA Club World Cup champions during Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round match at the Racecourse Ground, with owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds observing from their executive box, Wrexham ultimately struggled to contend with the Premier League caliber of Liam Rosenior’s squad.

Garnacho, Chelsea’s £40 million summer acquisition from Manchester United, proved to be the decisive factor: a representation of the relentless attacking prowess that top Premier League teams possess.

“It was our toughest match of the season thus far,” Garnacho told BBC Sport.

“In these matches, you must fight, and they [Wrexham] performed very well. We witnessed their best, but we prevailed in the end.”

Garnacho can be a challenging player to watch and often frustrates his teammates with his decision-making in critical moments.

However, when he is on form, the 21-year-old can be lethal, and Wrexham learned the hard way just how perilous the Argentina international can be when afforded the opportunity to exploit weaknesses in the opposition.

Garnacho assisted Chelsea’s first goal and netted their third, and in between, he drew a second-half foul from George Dobson, which resulted in the Wrexham midfielder receiving a red card from referee Peter Bankes after a VAR review for serious foul play.

Dobson fouled Garnacho with a reckless high tackle as the winger raced down the Chelsea left flank. It was a harsh challenge, reflecting Wrexham’s desperation in dealing with a player who has consistently shown his ability to influence significant matches.

If he had been more consistent, Garnacho might still be at United, but his potential was why Chelsea overlooked the less favorable aspects of his profile to acquire him, and their decision was validated by his performance against Wrexham.

The home side’s third-round victory over Nottingham Forest marked their first encounter with Premier League opposition since Mac and Reynolds took ownership of the club five years ago.

That match concluded with a penalty shoot-out win, instilling Wrexham with the confidence that they could ascend to the top flight, but while Forest illustrated what the Premier League entails, and Wrexham managed to cope, Chelsea provided a lesson in the realities at the highest level.

To thrive in the Premier League, teams must handle the pace and skill of players who are significantly better and more consistent than Garnacho. Consider Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Erling Haaland, or Bukayo Saka.

Garnacho may be a mid-tier attacking talent, and Wrexham will require several of their own if they aim to ascend to the top division. However, for much of this match, Wrexham managed to keep their illustrious rivals in check.

They took the lead through striker Sam Smith in the 18th minute and were sufficiently comfortable to pursue a second goal, but Chelsea always posed a threat on the counterattack, which was evident in the 40th minute when Garnacho’s cross was inadvertently deflected into the Wrexham net following a miscommunication between goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and George Thomason.

Wrexham’s determination and resilience allowed them to match up again in the second half, and when they regained the lead through Callum Doyle in the 79th minute, a spot in the quarterfinals appeared to be within reach. However, within three minutes, Chelsea equalized through Josh Acheampong.

The pivotal moment occurred in the 90th minute when Garnacho surged down the left, and only Dobson’s reckless challenge could halt him.

Referee Bankes initially issued a yellow card to Dobson, but a VAR review resulted in the card being upgraded to red, a decision supported by Chelsea manager Rosenior—”It was a dangerous challenge,” he stated.

The sending off left Wrexham with ten players for the ensuing extra time, allowing Chelsea to apply pressure. Their superior quality enabled them to dominate possession, and Garnacho gave them the lead for the first time when he volleyed Dário Essugo’s cross past Okonkwo six minutes into extra time.

It was a precise finish by Garnacho and another demonstration of his talent, but Wrexham continued to battle and believed they had equalized when Lewis Brunt’s close-range effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.

João Pedro’s goal in the final minute, which made it 4-2 to Chelsea, ensured a scoreline that did not accurately reflect the reality of the 120 minutes. Nevertheless, although Wrexham exited the FA Cup, they demonstrated their capability to compete against the best in the Premier League.

Their focus now shifts to securing promotion, with Tuesday’s Championship match against Hull City undoubtedly taking precedence over this encounter.

As for Chelsea, they will next face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, but they can be assured they will return to Wrexham sooner rather than later.