Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the “magical” feeling of reaching the League Cup final will energize the team as they continue their Premier League title push.
The Gunners secured a dramatic 1-0 win over Chelsea in the second leg of the semi-final on Tuesday, with Kai Havertz scoring in the dying moments to seal a 4-2 aggregate victory. It marks Arsenal’s first cup final appearance in six years, setting up a clash with Manchester City or Newcastle at Wembley on March 22.
Arteta hailed the victory as a morale booster, highlighting the impact of winning on confidence, energy, and team spirit. “Well, it’s the best vitamins that we can put in our bodies because we’re playing every three days,” he said. “The fact that you work so hard to achieve those moments and to have these moments together, it’s just magical… Winning helps in every sense. Confidence, energy, you call it.”
Arsenal’s semi-final triumph is particularly significant after a series of near misses in domestic and European competitions. The club has lost its last four semi-finals, including the 2025 Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup, and the 2021 Europa League. They last won the League Cup in 1993 and their most recent trophy was the 2020 FA Cup.
Arteta, who previously served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, said the team has learned from past disappointments and is now prepared to compete on multiple fronts. “We are so happy. Over the two games, we deserved to go through. We wrapped it up at the end in a beautiful way, with Kai scoring the goal in the manner that he did and the reaction from the crowd… This is about learning from previous experiences,” he added.
Arsenal currently lead the Premier League by six points and have advanced to the Champions League last 16 after winning all eight of their group matches, demonstrating a strong title challenge this season.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior expressed disappointment over the defeat but remained positive about his team’s future. “We’re disappointed not to go through, albeit against a very good team, but we can’t let this setback affect our future,” he said.
The victory gives Arsenal fans hope of ending their silverware drought and adds momentum to what is shaping up to be a potentially historic season for the club.
