Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola was happy with his side’s Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea on penalties at Anfield on Wednesday night.
It was a game of penalties – one each late in open play in the first half, then a shootout in front of the Kop, with Joe Gomez hitting the back of the net for the first time in his ten years at the club.
The quarter-final draw after the final whistle now pits the Reds against Iraola’s former club, Bournemouth. Understandably, he’s looking forward to it.
“At the end in the cup competitions what matters is that you are in the next round and you are in the draw,” he said. “Lucky for us finishing the right side of the penalty shootout.
“I finish pleased because the players have done a very big effort today and at least we get the reward of being in the quarter-finals.
“Honestly, I was talking before the draw and I said, ‘The only team I don’t want is Bournemouth…’
“For me, it’s special. They know me very well, they are playing very well lately, in a good moment, but it is what it is.
“We haven’t been very lucky with the draws, we have played Spurs and Chelsea already and now Bournemouth.
“That is going to be obviously special for me, but we have to earn the right to be in the semi-finals and I hope we can do it here at home again.”
Watch the highlights
Want more Liverpool news from LFC Click in your Google results?
Add LFC Click as a preferred source