Article by Alexandru Tomutiu, Mihai Șovei – Published Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 8:57 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, January 14, 2026 8:59 p.m.
Chelsea and Arsenal will face each other in the second semi-final of the English League Cup, “Carabao Cup”. The London derby on “Emirates” will start at 22:00 and will be liveTEXT on GSP.ro and on TV on Digisport 1. The return on “Stamford Bridge” is scheduled for February 3.
The winner of this semi-final will meet Newcastle or Manchester City in the fight for the trophy. In last night's round, Guardiola's students won 2-0 away and are big favorites to qualify.
LIVE from 21:45 » Chelsea – Arsenal
Chelsea – Arsenal, starting teams:
Chelsea: Sanchez – Acheampong, W. Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella – Enzo, Joao Pedro, Andrey Santos – Estevao, Netom Guiu
reserves: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Tosin, Hato, Essugo, Buonanotte, Garnacho, George, Mheuka
Coach: Liam Rosenior
Arsenal: Kepa – White, Saliba, Gabriel M., Timber – Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard – Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
reserves: Raya, Jesus, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Mdueke, Merino, Havertz, Lewis-Skelly
Coach: Mikel Arteta
Arsenal are in great form, Chelsea comes with a new coach
Chelsea are going through a period of inconsistent results, recording two wins, two draws and two defeats. The “Blues” crushed Charlton 5-1 in the FA Cup, but lost in the championship with Fulham, score 1-2. Prior to these games, the team drew 1-1 with Manchester City, drew another 2-2 with Bournemouth and suffered a 1-2 defeat at Aston Villa.
Arsenal have been in impressive form in their last five matches with four wins and a draw. The Gunners started the year with a convincing 4-1 win against Portsmouth in the FA Cup, followed by a 0-0 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League. Previously, the team recorded three consecutive victories: 3-2 against Bournemouth, 4-1 against Aston Villa and 2-1 against Brighton.
Arsenal will rely on young talent Myles Lewis-Skelly, who is expected to be a key player for the Gunners in this game. The team has a full squad at their disposal, including stars such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
The Blues have a rich selection of players, including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto, who are expected to be the pillars of the team's tactical scheme.
The last direct confrontation between the two teams took place on November 30, 2025, in the Premier League, the match ended in a draw, score 1-1, at “Stamford Bridge”. Previously, on March 16, 2025, Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates in another league match. The history of the last five head-to-head meetings shows two 1-1 draws, a win for Chelsea and two wins for Arsenal, including an impressive 5-0 at the Emirates on April 23, 2024.
