Chelsea reportedly felt they had gained an advantage over Liverpool before the Carabao Cup final had even kicked off thanks to their travel plans.
The Blues managed to book themselves into the Hilton hotel that their opponents traditionally stay in prior to Wembley finals given its location as just a stone’s throw from the stadium – though it was ultimately not a decisive move.
According to the Daily Mail, the Blues thought that they had gained the upper hand over Liverpool ahead of the final as they had tabled a ‘big-money bid’ to ensure that their side were staying in the Hilton Hotel in Wembley.
The Reds traditionally stay in that hotel ahead of any recent showcase match, including both cup finals in 2022 against Chelsea, due to the luxury facilities on offer at the building for players to ensure that every member of the squad is in the correct headspace before heading to the stadium.
Chelsea were aware of Liverpool’s desire to stay at the hotel and acted quickly to book their team there instead, with guests and other supporters also in the building. The Reds were therefore forced to settle for their second-best option and stayed in the ‘less luxury’ Novotel.
As a result, however, Jurgen Klopp’s side managed to book out the entire hotel though to ensure that there would be no distractions in the building as they prepared for the final, which may have proved more important than staying at the Hilton altogether.
Chelsea players were reportedly forced to share their facilities with members of the public holding executive match tickets, a part of their cunning plan which may have backfired wildly.
Mauricio Pochettino has come under immense criticism following his side’s defeat to the Reds. Chelsea battled admirably during the opening 90 minutes but failed to convert any of the clear-cut chances that fell the way of Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher.
Their lack of cutting edge then proved decisive, with Klopp rolling the dice and substituting on several academy products in the hope of injecting fresh energy into his side for extra time.