Iraola admits Bournemouth were the only team he wanted to avoid

Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola has admitted that Bournemouth were the only that team he hoped to avoid in the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw. The Spaniard will face his former club at Anfield after Liverpool secured their place in the last eight by beating Chelsea 6–5 on penalties following a 1–1 draw on Wednesday night.

“I was talking before the draw and said, ‘The only team I don’t want is Bournemouth’,” Iraola explained. The Liverpool manager acknowledged that the reunion would be special, but also recognised the threat posed by a Bournemouth side that has been performing well recently. He admitted that Liverpool had not been fortunate with the draw after already facing Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in previous rounds.

Liverpool advanced after a tense penalty shootout against Chelsea at Anfield. Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo scored from the spot during normal time, leaving the teams level at 1–1. The hosts eventually prevailed 6–5 in the shootout, with Wesley Fofana missing Chelsea’s decisive attempt. The result kept Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Carabao Cup alive.

The quarter-final against Bournemouth is scheduled for the week commencing December 14, with Liverpool set to enjoy home advantage at Anfield. Iraola will now prepare to face the club he previously managed, knowing that his side must deliver another strong performance to reach the semi-finals.