2015 Football League Cup Final

The 2015 Football League Cup Final is a football match that is scheduled to take place on 1 March 2015 at Wembley Stadium, London. It will be the final match of the 2014–15 Football League Cup, the 55th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League.

It will be played between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in a repeat of the 2008 Football League Cup Final.

Background
Chelsea will be playing in their seventh League Cup final, having won four, most recently in 2007. Their most recent appearance in the final was the first at Wembley, which they lost in 2008 to Tottenham. The game will be Chelsea's first domestic cup final since their victory in the 2012 FA Cup Final. Incumbent Chelsea manager José Mourinho was in charge in their League Cup wins in 2005 and 2007, and squad members Petr Čech, John Terry and Didier Drogba played in both finals, with the latter scoring in both victories.

Tottenham will be making their 8th appearance in the final, having won four previous times, last of which was in 2008. The 2008 final was the first at Wembley and was won against Chelsea. Tottenham's most recent appearance was a defeat against Manchester United in a penalty shootout the following year. Of their squad in the 2014–15 season, captain Younès Kaboul was an extra-time substitute in their 2008 victory, while Aaron Lennon started that match and the defeat in 2009.

The two teams also played at the old Wembley in the 1967 FA Cup Final, which Tottenham won 2–1. Tottenham's most recent appearance at Wembley was also against Chelsea, a 5–1 defeat in an FA Cup semi-final in 2012.

Chelsea
Chelsea, of the Premier League, began their League Cup campaign in the third round, where they were drawn at home against Bolton Wanderers of the Championship. Defender Kurt Zouma, making his debut, opened the scoring, but Bolton equalised six minutes later through a Matt Mills header. Ten minutes after the start of the second half, Oscar put Chelsea back into the lead and they won 2–1, dominating the match with 28 shots to Bolton's 3.

In the fourth round, Chelsea travelled to the New Meadow to face Shrewsbury Town of League Two. Three minutes after play resumed from a goalless first half, Didier Drogba's half-volley gave Chelsea the lead, but Shrewsbury gained an equaliser from substitute Andy Mangan. With nine minutes to play, Chelsea regained the advantage when Shrewsbury defender Jermaine Grandison deflected a shot from Willian.

Chelsea again were the away team to a lower opponent in the quarter-finals, facing Derby County of the Championship. In the first half, Eden Hazard gave Chelsea the lead, later doubled by a Filipe Luís free kick, the full-back's first for Chelsea. Craig Bryson halved the deficit for Derby, but soon afterwards defender Jake Buxton was sent off for a foul on Loïc Rémy and André Schürrle scored the final goal of a 3–1 Chelsea win. In the semi-final, Chelsea beat Liverpool 2–1 on aggregate after Branislav Ivanović scored the winning goal in the first half of extra time in the second leg, heading in Willian's free kick.

Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham, also of the Premier League, began by facing Nottingham Forest at White Hart Lane. After a goalless first half, Jorge Grant gave the visitors from the Championship the lead in the 65th minute. Substitute Ryan Mason equalised six minutes later, and Spurs eventually won 3–1 after two late goals from Roberto Soldado and another substitute, Harry Kane.

Tottenham hosted another second-tier opponent in the fourth round, Brighton & Hove Albion, and went into the lead through Érik Lamela, a half-time replacement for Aaron Lennon. Kane later confirmed a 2–0 victory.

In the quarter-finals, Tottenham again played at home, against top-flight Newcastle United. Away goalkeeper Jak Alnwick made a mistake which allowed Nabil Bentaleb to give Spurs a half-time lead. Nacer Chadli doubled it 36 seconds into the second half. Kane and his replacement Soldado also scored in the 4–0 victory. Tottenham's semi-final against League One club Sheffield United started with a 1–0 home win, Andros Townsend converting a penalty won by Jay McEveley's handball. A week later in the second leg at Bramall Lane, Tottenham doubled their aggregate lead with Christian Eriksen's free kick, but in the second half 18-year-old substitute Che Adams scored twice to equalise the aggregate. With two minutes remaining, Eriksen scored his second to put Tottenham into the final.