Contending for first title in 6 years: Arteta opens up after Arsenal reaches Carabao Cup final with win over Chelsea.
On 4 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager and Premier League leader, spoke after the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, where his team narrowly defeated fellow top-flight club Chelsea 1-0 at home.
Arsenal secured the winning goal in the 7th minute of added time, scored by substitute Kai Havertz, who came on for Victor Jekeres in the second half. This result gave the "Gunners" a 4-2 aggregate victory and a place as the first team to reach the Carabao Cup final, keeping their hopes alive for a first trophy among four competitions this season.
This means Arsenal will compete for their first major title in six years, since Mikel Arteta led them to the FA Cup championship in the 2019-20 season, his first year as the Spanish manager in charge.
Mikel Arteta shared his feelings after Arsenal broke their streak of four consecutive semi-final exits to reach the Carabao Cup final: "Did I enjoy it? Absolutely, especially in the final moments of the game."
"We knew it would be a fierce battle, requiring patience and clear understanding of how we needed to play. We performed very well. The atmosphere in our stadium was very special and made a huge difference. We've waited many years to reach this point, and we will definitely enjoy the final."
"It was a great night that ended perfectly. We knew it would be a very tough match. The pitch conditions made it a real battle. We competed very well and understood what we had to do. It was a game decided by very small margins."