Carabao Cup: Is there extra time in semi-finals?
No VAR in the semis but we could see more matchplay all the same
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Your support makes all the difference.The Carabao Cup semi-final second legs take place this week, with Chelsea hosting Middlesbrough before Liverpool head to Fulham for their respective return fixtures.
In the first leg it was the Championship side and the Reds who picked up slender leads, with Boro leading Mauricio Pochettino’s side by a single goal while it a comeback 2-1 victory at Anfield for Liverpool to see off the Cottagers.
This competition is somewhat changeable with regards to rules throughout the campaign, with extra time, penalties and VAR all subject to change depending on which round is being played and which teams are left in - which means an alteration this time out compared to the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, extra time will be played should the aggregate score be level at the end of the second leg, followed by penalties if required. The same rules are then used for the Carabao Cup final, which is scheduled for 25 February 2024 at Wembley Stadium.
Similarly, VAR is only introduced to the Carabao Cup for the trophy showdown match, as it’s not installed at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
As such, it means we’ll have an additional 30 minutes to the semi-finals if either of Chelsea or Fulham win their second legs by exactly a single goal - any other outcomes mean their ties end after the second 90 minutes.
Liverpool are the competition’s most successful team in history, claiming nine titles so far, the most recent of which came in 2022 when they beat Chelsea at Wembley. Man United are the reigning champions, having beaten Newcastle a little over a year ago to claim their own sixth triumph.
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