Carabao Cup: How Much Chelsea Missed Out on After Elimination by Arsenal
- Chelsea failed to reach the final of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup after losing to rivals Arsenal 4-2 on aggregate
- Kai Havertz scored a late winner at Emirates Stadium after the Gunners had won 3-2 at Stamford Bridge
- The FIFA Club World Cup champions have missed out on the final prize money after their elimination
Arsenal knocked London rivals Chelsea out of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup in the semi-final after a 4-2 aggregate win over the two-legged encounter.
Chelsea turned up at the Emirates Stadium 3-2 down after losing the first leg at Stamford Bridge and needed at least a goal to take the match to extra time and possibly penalties.
Source: Getty Images
However, Chelsea failed to score, and former Blue Kai Havertz scored a 97th-minute goal to help Arsenal progress to the final of the competition.
Liam Rosenior’s tactical approach for the game failed to help the Blues reach the final in his first big hurdle, a month after taking over the job.
The Blues missed out on a chance to win silverware, lost bragging rights in the London derby and also missed out on the potential prize money for winning.
Watch Arsenal vs Chelsea highlights below:
Carabao Cup prize money
The Carabao Cup has a small monetary reward, compared to other competitions Premier League clubs partake in during the course of the season.
According to BBC Sports, Carabao Cup winners receive £100,000 in prize money, plus a slot in a European competition, the UEFA Europa Conference League, the following season.
However, teams can relinquish the slot if they qualify for a higher competition. Newcastle dropped their UECL slot for winning last season after qualifying for the Champions League.
The beaten finalist will receive £50,000, while the two semi-finalists will receive £25,000 each, which is what the Blues earned after last night’s elimination.
Arsenal will face the winner of the second semi-final between Manchester City and defending champions Newcastle United, with the Citizens holding a two-goal advantage.
Liam Rosenior reacts to Chelsea loss
Head coach Rosenior expressed his disappointment after the match, but acknowledged his team lost to a better team in rivals Arsenal.
“All in all, we're disappointed not to go through, albeit against a very good team, but we can’t let this setback affect our future,” he told Chelsea TV.
Source: Getty Images
Captain Reece James and Pedro Neto missed the match, and the manager confirmed that they had small knocks and were in too much pain to play last night.
Cole Palmer and Estevao came off the bench in the second half in an attempt to salvage the results, and Rosenior explained why they came on in the second half.
Estevao was in Brazil on a compassionate leave for personal reasons, while Palmer played 90 minutes against West Ham and needed to be managed.
Arteta explains Chelsea’s mistake
Legit.ng reported that Mikel Arteta explained the major mistake Chelsea made, which cost them victory and led to their elimination against rivals Arsenal.
The Gunners boss noted that Rosenior's plans to introduce Palmer and Estevao against their tired legs in the second half failed to yield results.
Source: Legit.ng
