Xabi Alonso: EFL Cup exit on penalties is disappointing, now we focus on the Premier League

In the fourth round of the EFL Cup, Chelsea faced Liverpool away. Morgan Rogers and Gakpo scored in regular time, ending the match in a 1-1 draw. In the penalty shootout, Chelsea lost 5-6, missing out on the quarter-finals. After the match, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso spoke to the club media about the match, the penalty shootout, and upcoming preparations.

Xabi, it's clearly difficult to lose this way tonight, but what are your thoughts on the match?

Without doubt, exiting the competition this way is disappointing. When you're so close to advancing, anything can happen in a penalty shootout, and we had our opportunities. But aside from that, I think the team performed well. We played competitively, showed good quality, and made improvements compared to our last match. That's what we need. This is a setback, and we need to move forward.

How did you feel during the penalty shootout?

I could only wait and watch. I felt the tension of that moment, and you have to deal with it. I won't dwell on it too much. It's a setback, but what I need to do now is move forward and focus on the Premier League. As soon as I leave Anfield, I'll start thinking about Saturday's game.

You mentioned Saturday's match; we have another game in just over two days. There will obviously be disappointed players in the dressing room. How will you help them recover and prepare for Saturday?

We will pick ourselves up and lift everyone's spirits. Tonight we weren't far from advancing; it was an extremely close match. So I think there were many positive things today, both in terms of football and mentality, that we can build on and continue to improve.

Finally, tell us about the Chelsea fans. Over 6,000 were here tonight.

They were fantastic. When I saw our section of the stands full of our supporters, I really appreciated that feeling. I knew we would feel their support. At the end, I felt for them because we were so close to advancing. When you've come so close but can't finish it, it's a tough feeling. But their support was fantastic, and I truly valued it.