Revealed: Why Chelsea star is banned for Carabao Cup semi-final vs Arsenal | OneFootball

Blow for Blues as key man ruled out of first leg against Gunners

The first leg will take place in the week of January 12, while the second leg will be in the week of February 2.

But Chelsea will be without one of their most important players for the first leg after Caicedo was booked against Cardiff.

Moises Caicedo was booked for sarcastically applauding referee Tony Harrington

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Why is Caicedo suspended?

Caicedo captained Chelsea on the night as Enzo Maresca rang the changes against the Welsh side.

In the 45th minute, the Ecuador international was given a yellow card from referee Tony Harrington for sarcastically applauding his decision to award Cardiff a free-kick for a Chelsea foul.

That was his second booking in the Carabao Cup this season, following a yellow card he received for arguing in the fourth minute of added time in the previous round at Wolves.

His second booking in the competition means he must sit out of that first leg of the semi-final in January.

Are yellow cards not wiped before the semi-finals?

Yes, they are. But that doesn’t mean Caicedo has escaped a suspension.

Players who reach the semi-finals with one yellow card from a previous round have them wiped at that point.

But players who have already picked up a suspension by the end of their quarter-final match must still serve that suspension. The threat of future suspensions is wiped, but existing suspensions are not.

As Caicedo was given the second yellow card during the quarter-finals and before Chelsea had reached the semi-finals, he is still hit with a one-game ban.

FA guidelines, which governs league and cup competitions in England and Wales, state: “Any single yellow card are expunged following the quarter-final stages.”