Arsenal secured their place in the final of the English Football League Cup, after renewing their superiority over their London neighbor Chelsea and defeating them 1-0 in the second leg of the semi-final held at the Emirates Stadium, thus strengthening their aggregate lead after winning the first leg at Stamford Bridge 3-2.

The Gunners owe this precious qualification to German star Kai Havertz, who dealt a fatal blow to his former team by scoring the only goal of the match in the seventh minute of stoppage time (90+7), taking advantage of a typical counter-attack led by Declan Rice, allowing Havertz to go one-on-one with Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and put the ball in the net, confirming Arsenal's right to advance to Wembley.

Arsenal's dominance and Chelsea's curse

The match was full of intriguing tactical and technical twists, with Spanish coach Mikel Arteta managing the game intelligently. He relied on a balanced lineup that included former Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who brilliantly kept a clean sheet. Kepa faced few difficult tests thanks to the defensive solidity displayed by Arsenal's back line, which secured its third clean sheet in the last six matches, reflecting the significant improvement in the team's defensive system this season.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's struggles against their North London rivals continued, as the Blues failed to secure a victory against Arsenal for the tenth consecutive match across all competitions – a statistic that underscores the challenge posed by Mikel Arteta's team to the Blues in recent years. Despite throwing everything forward in the final minutes, Liam Rosenior's men suffered their first defeat after a run of five straight wins, postponing their dream of reclaiming the title that has eluded the club since 2015.

An exceptional season and quadruple ambitions

This qualification further boosts morale at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent years. The team sits atop the Premier League table with a six-point lead over second-placed Manchester City and has also qualified for the Champions League round of 16 with a perfect record. Arteta's side is currently competing on four fronts (the league, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Champions League), aiming to repeat or surpass their 2020 FA Cup triumph, the last time they reached a final.

Arsenal will await the winner of the other semi-final between Newcastle United and Manchester City in the final, which will be their ninth appearance in the competition. City have the advantage of winning the first leg 2-0, promising a fiery encounter at the famous Wembley Stadium.

Barcelona, ​​the reigning champions, secured their place in the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup after a hard-fought and thrilling 2-1 victory over second-division side Albacete on Tuesday night. The match was fraught with danger for the Catalan club, especially considering their opponents had caused a major upset in the previous round by eliminating arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Match details and goals

Barcelona started the match with early attacking pressure to impose their style and avoid any surprises. This pressure paid off with the opening goal in the 39th minute, scored by rising star Lamine Djamel, who capitalized on a precise and decisive pass from Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. In the second half, the Blaugrana continued their relative dominance, with Uruguayan defender and team captain Ronald Araujo extending the lead with a second goal in the 56th minute, benefiting from a brilliant pass by English star Marcus Rashford.

Despite trailing by two goals, the home side refused to give up. Albacete pulled one back in the 87th minute with a powerful header from Javi Moreno, igniting the atmosphere in the final minutes. The hosts almost forced the game into extra time, but for a heroic intervention from defender Gerard Martin, who cleared the ball off the line in the second minute of stoppage time, securing Barcelona's passage to the next round.

Tactical caution and the context of competition

German coach Hansi Flick fielded a star-studded lineup, abandoning his usual rotation policy for this stage of the competition, wary of a repeat of the Real Madrid scenario. Albacete had eliminated the Spanish giants in the round of 16 with a 3-2 victory, in Álvaro Arbeloa's first match as manager after succeeding Xabi Alonso. Brazilian star Rafinha was absent from the Barcelona squad due to injury.

In his remarks following the match, Flick emphasized the difficulty of cup matches, saying: "That's why we love cup matches, because sometimes they produce unexpected results. Of course, this is normal; they have nothing to lose and all they have to do is win.".

The importance of the tournament and the history of Barcelona

This tournament holds special significance for Barcelona, ​​nicknamed "The King of the Cup" due to their rich history and record-breaking achievements in the competition. Reaching the semi-finals is a crucial step towards retaining the title and consolidating their domestic dominance, especially given the fierce competition expected in the later rounds.

The quarter-final matches are scheduled to be completed on Wednesday with two strong encounters; Valencia will meet Athletic Bilbao, and Alaves will face Real Sociedad, while the matches will conclude on Thursday with a top match between Real Betis and Atletico Madrid.

The board of directors of Al-Ittihad Saudi Club officially announced the completion of the signing of Moroccan international striker Youssef En-Nesyri, coming from the ranks of Turkish club Fenerbahce, as part of the "Dean's" management's efforts to strengthen the attacking line of the first football team during the current winter transfer period, and to ensure the continuation of competition for local and continental titles.

Compensating for Karim Benzema's departure

This sensational deal comes as a swift and decisive move by Al-Ittihad's management to fill the significant void left by the departure of French star Karim Benzema, who surprised the sporting world by terminating his contract with the Jeddah-based club and finalizing his transfer to their arch-rivals, Al-Hilal, in one of the biggest surprises of the winter transfer window. By acquiring En-Nesyri, Al-Ittihad's management aims to reassure their fans of the team's ability to maintain its attacking prowess.

A remarkable career and historic achievements for Al-Nusairi

Youssef En-Nesyri boasts an impressive track record and extensive international experience, making him a valuable addition to the Roshan Professional League. He has etched his name in the annals of Moroccan and Arab football, particularly after his outstanding performance at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where he led the Atlas Lions to the semi-finals – an unprecedented achievement for both Arab and African football – thanks to his exceptional leaps and decisive goals. En-Nesyri also possesses significant European experience gained during his time in La Liga with Sevilla, where he won the Europa League title, before his move to Fenerbahçe in Turkey. This makes him an ideal choice to spearhead Al-Ittihad's attack in the upcoming phase.

Preparing for the Clasico against Al-Nassr

On the field, the Moroccan striker is scheduled to join the Tigers' group training sessions within the next few hours, as the coaching staff works to prepare him physically and technically to be available for the upcoming match. Al-Ittihad faces a tough challenge when they meet Al-Nassr in the top match of the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League.

This match is of paramount importance to both teams in the race for the top spot in the league, and will take place at 8:30 PM next Friday. Fans eagerly await En-Nesyri's debut in an Al-Ittihad jersey, hoping he can fill the void left by Benzema's departure and lead the team to victory in this highly anticipated derby.