Mauricio Pochettino, the Chelsea manager, has expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance despite their heartbreaking loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Liverpool secured their 10th League Cup win with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea, Footballrover reports.

Jurgen Klopp’s side clinched the trophy thanks to a late goal by Virgil van Dijk in extra time. This win extended Liverpool’s record for the most League Cup victories.

The defeat will linger for Chelsea, despite their valiant efforts and numerous missed opportunities throughout the game.

Pochettino’s boys faced setbacks such as missed chances and bad luck, but their failure to capitalise on chances ultimately cost them the trophy.

The match was filled with tension and excitement, with both teams creating scoring opportunities.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling came close to scoring, while Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Conor Bradley also threatened.

However, it was Van Dijk’s header in the 118th minute that sealed the victory for Liverpool.

Pochettino acknowledged the physical toll of the match, with players struggling with fatigue during extra time.

“The players started to lose their energy. The team felt maybe penalties would be good for us. Chilly felt really, really tired. Gallagher, after five minutes, we needed to change. The effort was massive,” he lamented.

Despite the disappointment, he praised his team’s effort and resilience throughout the game.

As Chelsea reflected on their loss, Pochettino emphasised the importance of learning from defeat and using it as motivation for future matches.

“I’m happy with the effort today. These players are professional. They are very competitive, and now we need to move forward. They need to feel the pain. Nothing you can tell me can make me feel better. Nothing,” said Pochettino.

Despite the pain of this loss, Chelsea will look to bounce back stronger in their upcoming fixtures.

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