VIDEO: Ryan Reynolds meets Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali as Wrexham receive 'make it up to the Prem' message

In a video shared by The Sunafter the final whistle, Eghbali delivered a succinct six-word challenge to the Deadpool star that underscored the respect Wrexham have earned across the footballing pyramid. As the pair shook hands, the Chelsea co-owner simply said: "Make it up to the Prem." It was recognition of how far the club has traveled under the stewardship of Reynolds and Rob Mac, pushing the west London giants to the absolute brink in front of a raucous home crowd.

Liam Rosenior’s side found themselves in a legitimate dogfight against their lower-league opposition. Wrexham twice led through Sam Smith and Callum Doyle, forcing the visitors to rely on their superior individual quality to avoid a monumental upset. It took a late strike from Josh Acheampong to even force the game into an additional 30 minutes, where Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro finally settled the contest against a tiring ten-man home side after George Dobson's red card.

Despite the result, Reynolds was beaming with pride at the performance of his squad. Reflecting on the club's meteoric rise since the high-profile takeover, the Hollywood A-lister took to social media to share his emotions. Reynolds posted on X: “Three years ago this week, we battled Maidenhead United to a draw. Today we pushed Chelsea to extra time. So incredibly proud of Wrexham’s performance today.”

Chelsea head coach Rosenior was quick to acknowledge the difficulty of the task his rotated side faced in North Wales. The manager admitted that his team needed to find a higher gear to overcome the intense atmosphere and tactical bravery of the hosts. He was full of praise for the Championship side, noting that the magic of the competition was alive and well at the Racecourse Ground during the 120-minute battle.

Rosenior stated: “That's every reason why the FA Cup is what it is. I think they were magnificent. Magnificent in their energy, and how brave they were in the press, and how they played. Then we had to be at a high, high level. We were pushed all the way by very good team. You've got to show character as well.”

Wrexham’s path to the promised land could be made even more accessible in the near future due to significant structural changes within the English Football League. In a move that will delight the club's board, EFL clubs officially agreed to expand the play-off format to include six teams starting from the 2026-27 season. This means teams finishing as low as eighth will have a shot at Wembley, providing a massive safety net for clubs with Premier League ambitions.

For now, however, the Red Dragons remain focused on the current campaign and their immediate goal of automatic promotion or a top-six finish. While Chelsea move on to the FA Cup quarter-finals and European duties, Wrexham return to league action with their reputation enhanced. They take on fifth-place Hull City on Tuesday.