Piero Hincapié: Arsenal prioritizing Carabao Cup victory, not considering implications for title race.
Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié is entirely concentrated on achieving victory in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday, rather than considering its potential implications for the title race.
The top two teams in the Premier League will compete at Wembley for the season’s first major trophy.
Leading the table, Arsenal holds a nine-point lead, and a win over Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday could serve as a significant psychological setback for City’s attempts to reduce the gap to Mikel Arteta’s dominant leaders.
However, when asked if the final at Wembley would influence the title race, Hincapié responded to reporters: “I don’t know.”
“It’s going to be a very challenging match. We’re highly focused on wanting to win it, but we must work diligently to secure the title.”
“Our primary focus is on the final, which is extremely important.”
“We will train rigorously to arrive at the final in the best possible condition and to win the title. That is the most crucial aspect.”
This will mark the second encounter between Arsenal and City this season.
A last-minute goal from Gabriel Martinelli earned the Gunners a point during their league meeting at the Emirates Stadium in September.
Arteta’s formidable team remains on track for an unprecedented quadruple, having secured a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 3-1 aggregate score.
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Hincapié expressed sadness over eliminating his former club Leverkusen but was pleased to assist Arsenal in maintaining their pursuit across four competitions.
He stated: “I’m really excited to have reached the quarterfinals with my club, but I’m also a bit saddened because it was against my old club. This is football, and I’m genuinely happy.”
