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Was Xabi Alonso right to call the Carabao Cup Chelsea’s “least important competition” after Liverpool elimination?

Following Chelsea's EFL Cup elimination at the hands of Liverpool Xabi Alonso labelled it their "the least important competition", but is this right?

By Ben Gray · The Pride Of London

Published: Thursday, 29 October 2026 at 1:01 PM

Key Things to Know

Writer Ben Gray argues Xabi Alonso was wrong to downplay Chelsea's Carabao Cup exit against Liverpool.
Liverpool eliminated Chelsea following a 1-1 draw and a dramatic 16-penalty shootout at Anfield.
Alonso labelled the tournament Chelsea's least important competition, which the writer views as contradictory to his lineup selection.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Ben Gray criticizes Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso for dismissing the Carabao Cup as the club's "least important competition" following an elimination against Liverpool. The match at Anfield ended 1-1 in regulation, featuring goals from Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo, before Liverpool advanced after an extended 16-penalty shootout that saw misses from Kostas Tsimikas, Emmanuel Emegha, and Wesley Fofana.

Gray argues that Alonso's comments contradict his pre-match claims about taking the tournament seriously, pointing to a strong starting lineup that featured key players like Moisés Caicedo and Maxence Lacroix. The article asserts that with Chelsea out of European competition this season, exiting the tournament represents a major missed opportunity to secure silverware.

Read the full article on The Pride Of London