Klopp: 'This season's League Cup is my most special title'

Coach Jurgen Klopp was proud of the 1-0 win over Chelsea in the League Cup final, when Liverpool were without many key players and had to use many young players from the academy.

Liverpool were without 11 first-team players ahead of the final at Wembley, including Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara and Alisson. That number increased to 12 when Ryan Gravenberch was seriously injured and had to be carried off on a stretcher in the 28th minute.

Only four Liverpool players from the 4-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield less than four weeks ago started at Wembley, while the bench included six under-21s promoted from the youth team. Conor Bradley (20) started, while James McConnell, Bobby Clark (19), Harvey Elliott (20) and Jarell Quansah (21) were all on the pitch when referee Chris Kavanagh blew the final whistle.

Coach Jurgen Klopp lifts the League Cup after Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024. Photo: AFP

Therefore, Klopp considers winning the League Cup this year as the most special mark in his coaching career. In more than eight years leading Liverpool, the German coach has collected all the titles with the Premier League, FA Cup, English League Cup, English Community Shield, Champions League, European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. He has the opportunity to win the Europa League this season.

"What we saw today was special," Klopp said with a beaming smile after the match. "We may never see a game like this again, these things don't happen in football. The most special trophy I've ever won. I'm overwhelmed and I wish I could feel proud more often. It's not about the fact that it was my last game at Wembley. Seeing the faces of these young players, no one will forget tonight."

With a patchwork lineup, Liverpool still played a back-and-forth game with Chelsea for 90 minutes. Each team had goals ruled out for offside and had shots hit the woodwork. Raheem Sterling had a goal ruled out in the first half and Conor Gallagher hit the post in the second. For Liverpool, Cody Gakpo headed the post in the first half, then Virgil Van Dijk had a goal in the second half when teammate Wataru Endo was offside and involved in the play.

The turning point came in the 118th minute, when substitute Kostas Tsimikas took a corner kick for captain Van Dijk to head the ball diagonally into the far corner, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic. It was the latest winner in a League Cup final since Brian Little scored in the 119th minute for Aston Villa against Everton in 1977.

Key developments of the match Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool.

"I don't care about my legacy, I'm not here to create a legacy. I'm here to work," Klopp added about leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. According to the German coach, Liverpool finished the match with many injured players and did not know who could play against Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup on February 28.

The 1-0 win gave Liverpool their 10th League Cup, maintaining their position as the tournament's most successful club. It was also the Merseyside club's 51st title, and eighth under Jurgen Klopp. In the German's final season at Anfield, Liverpool are still in with a chance of a quadruple. They are top of the Premier League, in the fifth round of the FA Cup and in the last 16 of the Europa League.

Hong Duy

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