Andoni Iraola offers his reaction to Liverpool's Carabao Cup fourth-round win over Chelsea and the quarter-final showdown it has set up against his former club Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola has admitted that Bournemouth were the last team he wanted to face in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after Liverpool reached the last eight courtesy of beating Chelsea on penalties.
The Reds came from behind to draw 1-1 with Xabi Alonso’s side as a Cody Gakpo spot-kick cancelled out Morgan Rogers’ own effort from 12 yards.
With nothing to separate the two sides at the end of 90 minutes, Liverpool progressed to the next round courtesy of a 6-5 shoot-out success after Wesley Fofana missed the decisive penalty.
Having made seven changes to his side, Iraola was delighted to progress to the quarters but conceded he had not been thrilled when he learned his former club would stand in the way of the Reds and a place in the semi-finals.
“In the end in cup competitions, what matters is that you are in the next round, and you are in the draw,” he said. “And luckily for us, we finished on the right side of the penalty shoot-out.
“I think we are pleased because the players have done a very big effort today and at least we get the reward of being in the quarter-finals. When you do, the line-ups and the squads, you are not thinking in case it goes to penalties, I will leave the ones who shoot the penalties for the end.
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“No, you are trying to balance the team. We are changing a lot of the players because we need to change. I think we've done seven changes today, but even in the Champions League, that are very important games, we're always doing four or five changes.
“When I've done the last subs, when I put Alexis (Mac Allister) and Alex (Isak), especially, it starts to be on your head. Okay, in case of need, those are the best ones probably that you can put.”
He continued: “I was talking to Tony (Barrett, Liverpool FC press officer) before the draw and I told him: 'The only team that I don't want is Bournemouth'.
“For me it's special, but 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 played Spurs, Chelsea already, 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.”
Meanwhile, Iraola praised Trey Nyoni following the final whistle as he shared his belief that being involved in such a cup tie is crucial experience for all of his young players.
“I think he's done really well, really well,” he said. “I think it's good for the young players especially, to live these experiences in cup competitions, where, if you lose, you're out.
“We've been losing, then drawing then they haven't been there in the penalty shoot-out but they live the feelings.
“They play under pressure against a very good team and I think Trey has finished physically in a good place, so very well done, yes.”
