5 hours ago
Liverpool won the FA Cup after beating Chelsea in the final 6-5 on penalties, at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
This is the first time that the Reds have been able to win the FA Cup since 2006. It is the club’s second title this year, after winning the League Cup last February, in a final match that brought it together with Chelsea as well.
The match ended in normal and extra time with a goalless draw between the two teams.
Jurgen Klopp’s players managed to keep their nerve until the end, to be able to win the penalty shootout.
Chelsea player Cesar Azpilicueta missed his team’s second kick, after his ball hit the post.
Chelsea goalkeeper Edward Mendy blocked Sadio Mane’s last decisive shot, preventing Liverpool from celebrating the title.
But Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker blocked Mason Mount’s ball, then Greek defender Costas Tsimikas scored the last kick for Liverpool, to seal the victory for his team.
This is the second time that Liverpool meet Chelsea in the final of a domestic competition this year.
Also, for the second time, the Reds decided the match in their favor with penalty kicks as well, after winning the League Cup final in February 10-11.
Liverpool won the two domestic cups in the same season for the first time since the 2001/200 season. When Klopp held the famous old trophy for the first time, as an assistant coach.
As for Chelsea, it suffered its third defeat in a row in the FA Cup Final, after previous defeats against Leicester City and Arsenal.
picture released, Chris Brunskill/Fantasista
Mohamed Salah’s exit from the match after being injured raised questions about his participation in the Champions League final against Real Madrid
Will Liverpool be able to score the quartet?
After winning two titles this year, Jurgen Klopp’s team aspires to continue its path to win the quartet.
Liverpool are racing for the English Premier League title with Manchester City, the leaders, who are three points ahead of them, before their last two matches in the tournament.
The Champions League final is awaiting him in Paris, against Real Madrid, on May 28.
With this goal in mind, Klopp, who danced to celebrate the title with Liverpool fans, will have to focus on whether his team will be fully prepared against Real Madrid.
With striker Mohamed Salah and defender Virgil van Dijk injured during the match, which may keep them away from the last two league matches, there are fears that they will not recover before the Champions League final.
picture released, John Powell
Jürgen Klopp told BBC 2: “I think Van Dijk is fine, but his muscles hurt.”
Talking about the match, he said: “Awesome, it was an intense and amazing match against Chelsea – they would have deserved it [الفوز] In exactly the same way, as in the Carabao Cup – that’s how small the margins are.”
“Chelsea played great but in the end there has to be one winner,” he said.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson told BBC One about his happiness with the victory and with the performance of his teammates, saying that he was able to save the penalty kick, “because our team deserves this victory.”
“It gives us more confidence in the Premier League and in the Champions League final,” he said.