It has become known why Reece James will not play against Arsenal in the EFL Cup

Chelsea travel to face Arsenal in the second leg of the English League Cup, but the Blues will be without one of their team leaders.

Details: Captain Reece James was not included in the squad for this match and will miss the game against the Gunners. The reason is that he has been given time to rest. Simon Johnson of The Athletic reported that Reece does not have an injury. It is purely a rest period for the captain.

The match between Arsenal and Chelsea will take place on Tuesday, February 3, with kick-off at 21:00 CET. The first leg ended in a 3:2 victory for the Gunners.

It is also worth noting that winger Bukayo Saka will not play against Chelsea in this match. The reason is an injury he sustained in a Premier League game against Leeds.

Reminder: We also previously reported that the 29-year-old central midfielder of the Spain national team and Arsenal, Mikel Merino, risks missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to a leg injury sustained in a match against Manchester United.