On Sunday, an exciting clash awaits as Liverpool and Chelsea go head-to-head in the highly anticipated League Cup final at Wembley. Both teams are vying for the opportunity to lift the first major domestic trophy of the season.
AFP Sport delves into the rich history of a bitter rivalry and highlights some of the classic encounters between Liverpool and Chelsea:
THE ORIGIN OF THE RIVALRY
In a fitting manner befitting his reputation as football’s agent provocateur, it was Jose Mourinho who ignited the flames of an acrimonious feud between Chelsea and Liverpool.
Fueled by Roman Abramovich’s vast resources and Mourinho’s adept mind games, Chelsea were poised to embark on a golden era. Liverpool, as one of England’s traditional powerhouses, felt particularly aggrieved by the ostentatious rise of the newcomers.
When the two teams clashed in the 2005 League Cup final in Cardiff, it was inevitable that sparks would fly—and Mourinho and his team did not disappoint.
Liverpool’s John Arne Rise struck a first-minute opener, only to be countered by a late Steven Gerrard own goal that forced the match into extra time.
In an early glimpse of his passionate touchline antics, Mourinho was sent off for taunting Liverpool fans with a shushing gesture after the equalizer.
As Mourinho watched on television, Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman found the net, putting Chelsea in control of the match.
Although Antonio Nunez pulled one back for Liverpool, Chelsea held on for a hard-fought 3-2 victory. This triumph not only secured the first trophy of Mourinho’s managerial reign but also ignited a grudge that continues to smolder to this day.
GARCIA’S ‘GHOST GOAL’
A Defining Moment of Sporting Rivalry:
In the realm of enduring sporting enmity, a truly iconic moment is required to ensure its lasting legacy. For Liverpool and Chelsea, that moment arrived on May 3, 2005, at Anfield.
Merely three minutes into the second leg of the Champions League semifinals, Liverpool’s Milan Baros outwitted Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and sent the ball rolling toward Luis Garcia inside the penalty area.
With a determined effort, Garcia poked the ball towards the goal from close range, despite William Gallas’s desperate attempt to clear it off the line.
To the dismay of Chelsea, referee Lubos Michel awarded the goal. In the absence of goal-line technology or VAR to definitively confirm its validity, the controversy surrounding this event has persisted over time.
Even Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez refrained from definitively confirming whether it was a goal. Nevertheless, his team managed to hold on and secure a 1-0 aggregate victory, propelling them to an epic final triumph against AC Milan.
Jose Mourinho, incensed by the decision, famously denounced Garcia’s effort as a “ghost goal.” Liverpool further exacerbated Chelsea’s frustration two years later when they defeated the Blues in the Champions League semifinals at Anfield once again, this time through a dramatic penalty shootout.
PENALTY DRAMA AT WEMBLEY
Liverpool’s Recent Triumphs: Penalty Victories Over Chelsea
In 2022, Liverpool celebrated their most recent trophies, achieved at the expense of Chelsea, as Jurgen Klopp’s determined squad showcased remarkable composure to emerge victorious in a pair of thrilling penalty shoot-outs during the League Cup and FA Cup finals.
The first installment of this silverware double occurred in the League Cup final, following a goalless draw at Wembley. In a tension-filled penalty shoot-out, Liverpool emerged triumphant with an 11-10 scoreline.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, brought on as a penalty-saving specialist in the dying moments of extra time, unfortunately failed to convert the decisive spot-kick, while Liverpool’s custodian Caoimhin Kelleher confidently found the net with his own effort.
Klopp vividly remembers this encounter with immense fondness, expressing admiration for the intensity exhibited by both teams in their titanic battle for victory.
A similar narrative unfolded just three months later in the FA Cup final, as Liverpool once again prevailed in a grueling 0-0 draw, ultimately clinching the victory with a 6-5 triumph in the penalty shoot-out.
This time, Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker shone brightly, saving Mason Mount’s crucial spot-kick and paving the way for Kostas Tsimikas to secure the winning goal, leaving Chelsea heartbroken once more.