Liverpool’s Carabao Cup ultimate victory over Chelsea was supervisor Jurgen Klopp‘s “most particular trophy” after they overcame extra damage adversity to win 1-0 at Wembley after additional time.
Already with out 11 first-team gamers, they misplaced Ryan Gravenberch to an ankle downside after half-an-hour and completed the match with 4 academy gamers on the pitch however the children held out lengthy sufficient for captain Virgil van Dijk to go the 118th-minute winner.
“In additional than 20 years it’s simply essentially the most particular trophy I’ve ever gained. It’s completely distinctive,” mentioned Klopp, who’s leaving the membership on the finish of the season and seemed emotional on the pitch on the ultimate whistle.
“Generally folks ask me if I’m pleased with issues and it’s actually difficult, I want I might really feel pleasure extra typically however tonight is an amazing feeling.
“I used to be pleased with everybody concerned in the whole lot right here: I used to be pleased with our folks for the best way they pushed us, I used to be pleased with the employees for creating this sort of ambiance surrounding the place these boys can simply do what they’re finest at.
“I used to be pleased with our academy, I used to be pleased with my coaches, I used to be pleased with so many issues. It was fully overwhelming.
“It was nothing to do with it being perhaps my final recreation at Wembley.
“Are you able to create in soccer tales which positively no one will ever overlook? It’s so troublesome as a result of this occurred earlier than, this occurred earlier than: this tonight, if you happen to discover the identical story with academy gamers approaching in opposition to a prime aspect and nonetheless successful it, I’ve by no means heard of it.
“I beloved it. What we see right here as we speak is so distinctive. We would by no means see once more. Not as a result of I’m on the sidelines however as a result of this stuff don’t occur in soccer.
“I received advised there’s an English phrase ‘you don’t win trophies with children’. I didn’t know that.”
Victory prolonged Liverpool’s personal document to 10 League Cups and was the seventh main trophy he has gained since arriving on the membership in 2015.
His aspect are prime of the Premier League and are one of many favourites for each the FA Cup and Europa League however Klopp has little interest in the sentimentality of his ultimate few months.
“I couldn’t care much less about my legacy, I’m not right here to create one,” he added.
“Nothing we’ve executed within the final eight or 9 years is replaceable, we couldn’t have executed the identical at one other membership. It was precisely made for this mix. It’s unbelievable.
“We realized a lot in that point, the folks realized a lot. That’s the one factor – it’s not an issue if a supervisor leaves, if these folks would depart, our supporters, that might be an issue.
“So long as they’re the best way they’re, Liverpool Soccer Membership can be positive and that’s crucial factor.
“Once in a while you want one thing to actually have a good time. This was so particular, you noticed the sport and noticed the circumstances, they change into greater.
“We had a ref (Chris Kavanagh) who was less than the extent of the sport, that didn’t assist one crew or the opposite. There was no widespread sense once more.
“Then getting by means of all issues. You see drained gamers. I’ve no clue who can play on Wednesday [against Southampton in the FA Cup] as a result of we’ve gamers on the pitch till the top of the sport who had issues.”
Klopp reserved particular reward for his captain, who put in an actual chief’s efficiency to carry his first trophy since taking up from Jordan Henderson.
“From the primary day coming into the membership [Van Dijk] was completely excellent. Thank God he’s in type, prime form. I believe he realized an necessary lesson for himself: you at all times can win the sport,” he mentioned.
League Cup winners!
