Liam Rosenior, getty images 05 February 2026, 21:41

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has criticized Arsenal for their conduct in the warm-up ahead of the second leg of the FA Cup semi-final at the Emirates. According to the coach of the Londoners, representatives of the opponent’s coaching staff entered the half of the Chelsea field, which he considered a sign of disrespect.

The incident was broadcast on Sky Sports, with an exasperated Rosenior making an emotional appeal to the Arsenal bench, demanding to stay in his own half of the pitch. The coach noted that the opponent’s actions affected his team’s preparation for the game.

“It wasn’t the players. I always believe that during the warm-up, each team has its own half of the field. I never asked my staff to enter the opponent’s territory,” Rosenior explained. He added that there is a certain etiquette in football that should be followed regardless of the status of the match.

At the same time, the Chelsea coach stressed that he has no personal complaints against Arsenal or its head coach Mikel Arteta, whom he respects: “At that moment, I just felt that my team was not treated properly,” – summed up Rosenior.

On the pitch, Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Kai Havertz to reach the FA Cup final 4-2 on aggregate. Following their exit from the tournament, Chelsea will focus on their next league game against Wolverhampton.