Chelsea forward Alejandro Garnacho has underlined the pressure to keep lifting silverware as the Blues approach Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. The Premier League leaders visit with a place at Wembley on the line, and Chelsea aim to build a strong advantage in the tie they last reached in 2024.
Garnacho stressed that the London club must always be judged by trophies, and views this EFL Cup semi-final as a key chance to deliver. "Sometimes people think your best moment is when you score goals, but obviously, football is more than this," said Garnacho about his quarter-final performance. "You're always happy when you score, and now we have the semi-final coming. It's a big opportunity for us to be there
in Wembley and try to win a trophy, which is always good. At this club, you need to win trophies also. It would be amazing. It's a cup competition, a trophy, everything counts. We are really motivated for that semi-final, and hopefully we can go to Wembley. "
Chelsea face Arsenal in the first leg of this EFL Cup semi-final knowing recent history is mixed. The Blues have advanced from their last three semi-final ties in the competition, yet lost the final each time. The last time Chelsea fell at the semi-final stage came in 2017-18, also against Arsenal.
The current EFL Cup campaign has been productive in front of goal for Chelsea, who have scored nine times, more than any other side still involved. Only Brighton, with 12 goals, and Cardiff City, with 10, have more overall in this season’s competition. That cutting edge has given Chelsea confidence ahead of the semi-final meeting with Mikel Arteta’s league leaders.
Chelsea’s path to this EFL Cup semi-final began with wins over Lincoln City, Wolves and Cardiff City. All three victories came under former head coach Enzo Maresca, who has since departed the club. The quarter-final brought a 3-1 success against Cardiff, when Garnacho struck twice and again underlined influence in knockout matches.
Across the last five EFL Cup appearances, Garnacho has produced eight goal contributions, with five goals and three assists. That output positions Garnacho as one of Chelsea’s main attacking threats for this semi-final. The Argentina international’s movement, direct running and finishing have often changed games, especially in tight cup situations against organised opponents.
There has also been a change in the dugout since those earlier EFL Cup rounds. Liam Rosenior, previously in charge at Strasbourg, now leads Chelsea and started with a 5-1 home win against Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round. Rosenior has an early chance to claim a major scalp with Chelsea by defeating Arsenal over two legs and reaching Wembley.
The last competitive meeting between Chelsea and Arsenal came in the Premier League, where the sides drew 1-1. Chelsea played just over 45 minutes with 10 players after Moises Caicedo received a red card. That performance, holding the league leaders despite the disadvantage, has offered further belief as the same opponents meet again in the EFL Cup semi-final.
Garnacho feels Chelsea have already shown they can cope with elite opposition. "We know it's going to be hard, but we have already showed to the world that we can beat any team," Garnacho added. "For example, Barcelona, or when we played Arsenal at home with 10players, we showed that we are a fantastic team, so we can do it. Of course, it's more motivation when you play against a team like this, but we don't really focus on who is the other team. We just focus on us, to win the game, and hopefully we can do that. "
The numbers behind Chelsea’s current EFL Cup run, and the remaining contenders’ scoring records, are shown below.
| Team | Competition stage | Goals scored |
|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | EFL Cup semi-final | 9 |
| Brighton | EFL Cup (eliminated) | 12 |
| Cardiff City | EFL Cup (eliminated) | 10 |
Garnacho has also gained attention among supporters for displays in this season’s run.
Garna.pic.twitter.com/DSjXBmB44CChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2026
With Arsenal leading the Premier League and Chelsea adjusting under Rosenior, this EFL Cup semi-final sets up a demanding test. Chelsea carry strong scoring form, past experience of going deep in the competition, and a forward in Garnacho who is delivering regularly, while the squad targets another chance to compete for a trophy at Wembley.
