After a long wait, Arsenal has accomplished a difficult feat by defeating Chelsea again to reach the Carabao Cup final.
On 4 February 2026, Arsenal, who had faced disappointment repeatedly by failing to reach the final in major football tournaments, finally broke through in the 2025-26 Carabao Cup (League Cup) after overcoming Premier League rivals Chelsea.
The Gunners narrowly defeated the Blues 1-0 in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, advancing to the final with a 4-2 aggregate score. They now have a chance to win their first major trophy in six years since securing the FA Cup in the 2019-20 season.
Previously, Arsenal had suffered heartbreak four times at the semi-final stage of major tournaments, marking the longest consecutive semi-final exits in the club’s history, as follows:
2020-21 season (Europa League): lost to Villarreal (first leg 1-2 / second leg 0-0)
2021-22 season (Carabao Cup): lost to Liverpool (first leg 0-0 / second leg 0-2)
2024-25 season (Carabao Cup): lost to Newcastle (first leg 0-2 / second leg 0-2)
2024-25 season (UEFA Champions League): lost to Paris Saint-Germain (first leg 0-1 / second leg 1-2)
Arsenal will await their opponent in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 22 March, facing the winner between Manchester City and Newcastle United.