RismadarVoice Reporters
October 29, 2026
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has described the Carabao Cup as the club’s least important competition this season, insisting that winning matches in the Premier League remains his team’s primary objective.
The Spaniard made the remarks following Chelsea’s elimination from the competition on Wednesday night after Liverpool secured a dramatic 6-5 penalty shootout victory at Anfield.
The fourth-round encounter ended 1-1 in regulation time, with both teams scoring from the penalty spot before the contest was decided by a lengthy shootout.
Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea the lead in the first half after Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch fouled Moisés Caicedo inside the penalty area.
However, Cody Gakpo equalised for the hosts from another penalty after Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana handled the ball.
Neither side managed to find a winning goal during the remainder of the match, forcing the tie into penalties.
Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders produced important saves during the contest, but Fofana eventually missed the decisive spot-kick, allowing Liverpool to advance to the quarter-finals.
Speaking after the defeat, Alonso acknowledged his disappointment but maintained that Chelsea had demonstrated encouraging signs despite their elimination.
He described the match as closely contested and praised his players for competing strongly against Liverpool.
The former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager also defended his team’s overall performance, noting that Chelsea had shown improvement in difficult circumstances.
However, he stressed that the club must quickly redirect its attention towards the Premier League.
Alonso described the Carabao Cup as the least important competition in Chelsea’s schedule, explaining that the team needed to move forward rather than dwell on the setback.
Chelsea’s immediate attention now turns to Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
The fixture presents Alonso’s side with an opportunity to respond to consecutive defeats and strengthen their position in the league standings.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s victory secured a quarter-final meeting with Bournemouth as the Merseyside club continued its pursuit of domestic cup success.
For Chelsea, the Carabao Cup elimination ends one route to silverware this season, leaving Alonso focused on improving the team’s consistency in the Premier League and other remaining competitions.
