FA Cup: Lukaku Silences Critics To Fire 'For Sale' Chelsea Past Luton Into Quarterfinals

World champions Chelsea survived a major FA Cup scare to reach the quarterfinals with a 3-2 win with Romelu Lukaku rising to the fore against Luton just hours after Roman Abramovich confirmed club sales intent.

Thomas Tuchel's side took to the Kenilworth Road pitch for the fifth-round tie with their heads still spinning from Abramovich's bombshell announcement.

The Russian billionaire has decided to sell Chelsea amid fears he could be sanctioned by the British government amid his country's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who is alleged to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, will give the net proceeds from the sale to victims of the Ukraine war.

After his massive investment helped Chelsea win 19 major trophies in his 19-year reign, Abramovich admitted it had been "incredibly difficult" to give up the keys to Chelsea.

Fittingly, it was Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who completed Chelsea's escape act on the day the Abramovich era entered its final chapter.

Chelsea twice trailed against second-tier Luton before Lukaku bagged the winner in the closing stages to spare their blushes.

Abramovich sanctioned the club record £97 million ($131 million) deal that brought Lukaku from Inter Milan last year in the final blockbuster transfer of his reign.

Asked about the sale, Tuchel admitted he hoped nothing would change in terms of the day-to-day running of the club.

"We heard the rumours. We are not living on an island. Of course we have team meetings and the guys spoke about it," he said in his post-match BBC interview.

"It is big news. Let's wait and see. I think every decision he takes is the right decision. It is his decision, it's his club.

"Hopefully it will not mean too much in the short term and nothing much will change. We will try to cancel the noise and stay focused, which is not always easy. We showed we can do that."

It was a much-needed victory for Chelsea after their agonising penalty shoot-out defeat in the League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday.

But it was Abramovich's seismic decision to sell up that hogged the attention at tiny Kenilworth Road.

Chelsea's travelling fans sang Abramovich's name when news of the impending sale filtered through before kick-off.