Chelsea added insult to injury for Arsenal after the Gunners were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday, May 7.
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate following a defeat to PSG in the first leg, Arsenal faced an uphill battle in the second leg at the lively Parc des Princes. Their challenge became even steeper when Fabian Ruiz struck a brilliant goal past David Raya in the 27th minute.
Although Raya gave Arsenal a lifeline by saving a Vitinha penalty in the 69th minute, their hopes were quickly dashed as Achraf Hakimi netted a superb effort just minutes later to seal PSG’s place in the final.
Bukayo Saka grabbed a late consolation, but it wasn’t enough to stop the French side from booking a spot in the final on May 31 in Munich, where they will face Inter.
The result preserved Chelsea’s distinction as the only London club to have won the Champions League—having lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2021. Shortly after Arsenal’s defeat, Chelsea posted on social media: “Back home tomorrow. Looking to reach a European final for the eighth time in our history,” referencing their upcoming Conference League semi-final second leg against Djurgårdens on Thursday, May 8.
The timing of the post sparked speculation among fans that it was a subtle jab at Arsenal.
One supporter wrote, “My club mocking Arsenal.”
Another added, “The timing of this post is diabolical.”
A third commented, “Unwarranted dig, but I dig it.”
Should Chelsea go on to win the Conference League, they would become the first English club to win all three major UEFA competitions, having already secured Champions League and Europa League titles. Enzo Maresca’s side head into the return leg with a commanding 4-1 lead from the first leg in Sweden and will face either Fiorentina or Real Betis in the final, with Betis holding a narrow advantage ahead of their second leg in Florence.