Arsenal secured a crucial 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final, but the match ended in a very tense atmosphere.
The game was marked by a confrontation after the final whistle between Martin Zubimendi, the decisive scorer, and Enzo Fernandez. The two midfielders, who had been in a duel throughout the match, exchanged words and nearly came to blows, with Fernandez needing to be restrained by his coach Liam Rosenior.
On the field, Arsenal thought they had done the hard part after goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyökeres, and Zubimendi. However, Chelsea stayed in the game thanks to a brace from Alejandro Garnacho, who came on as a substitute and was decisive with two goals in the 57th and 83rd minutes.
The return leg will be heated
Thanks to this response, the Blues are only one goal behind before the return match at the Emirates, where a 1-0 victory would be enough to force extra time. The Zubimendi–Fernandez duel promises to be an electrifying return leg.
Liam Rosenior in the thick of it as Enzo Fernandez squares up to Martin Zubimendi! 😬 pic.twitter.com/yJn3lDHHjK
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 14, 2026
