John Terry has accused Arsenal of “celebrating too much” after they booked their place in the Carabao Cup final at the expense of his former club Chelsea, comments that have raised eyebrows given his own history of trophy celebrations.
Kai Havertz’s late winner on Tuesday night sparked jubilant scenes on the pitch as Arsenal completed a 4-2 aggregate victory to secure a Wembley meeting with Manchester City.
It was a rare moment for a side that have not lifted a trophy since the FA Cup in 2020 and has crashed out in numerous semi-finals since, yet one that prompted criticism from the former Chelsea captain. Yawn.
Speaking afterwards, Terry said, “They celebrated far too much, that showed the pressure that’s on them at the moment. Arsenal are looking the best team by far in the Premier League, and they’ve got the best squad.
“But it certainly wasn’t the Champions League final that they’ve qualified to, it’s the Carabao Cup.”
The remarks sit awkwardly alongside Terry’s own past, most notably when he appeared in full kit to collect the Champions League trophy in 2012 despite being suspended and not playing a single minute of the final.
His public criticism also comes with a broader personal history that has followed him throughout his career, including the widely reported affair with a teammate’s partner, episodes that have long shaped perceptions of his judgement away from the pitch.
For Arsenal, the celebrations reflected a team moving closer to silverware under pressure at the top of the Premier League and Champions League. For Terry, they offered another reminder that lectures on how to mark success can sound hollow when delivered by someone so clearly bitter about his old side being dumped from the final with barely a whimper.