Chelsea legend John Terry has criticised Arsenal for what he described as excessive celebrations following their Carabao Cup semi final victory over the Blues.
Terry suggested that Arsenal’s reaction after sealing qualification for the final reflected the growing pressure on manager Mikel Arteta and his players rather than the importance of the result itself.
Arsenal booked their place in the Carabao Cup final after edging Chelsea by one goal to nil in the second leg of the semi final, completing a four goals to two aggregate victory. However, Terry insisted that the Gunners’ celebrations were out of proportion, arguing that Chelsea were the better side across the two meetings this season.
The former Chelsea captain, who won the Carabao Cup five times during his playing career at Stamford Bridge, said the competition carries a different level of importance for both clubs and added that Chelsea approached the tie without fear.
According to Terry, Arsenal’s animated celebrations revealed the weight of expectation surrounding Arteta’s squad as they continue their pursuit of silverware.
Speaking in a TikTok video, Terry said:
“In both games this year, we’ve outplayed Arsenal. We’ve won the Carabao Cup many times, so we had nothing to fear.
“The pressure was on Arsenal. They celebrated far too much for me, and I think that showed the pressure that is on them at the moment.”
Terry’s comments come at a time when Arsenal are under increasing scrutiny to turn strong league performances into major trophies, having fallen short in several competitions in recent seasons despite steady progress under Arteta.
For Chelsea, the semi final exit marked another setback in what has been a transitional campaign. However, Terry maintained that the performances across the two legs offered encouragement, insisting the Blues matched and in his view surpassed Arsenal over the course of the tie.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup final as they look to end their wait for domestic silverware while also managing their Premier League and European commitments.
Terry’s remarks are expected to spark further debate among supporters of both clubs, with Arsenal fans pointing to the aggregate victory as justification for their celebrations, while Chelsea supporters may echo their former captain’s belief that overall performance mattered more than the final outcome.
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