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Edited by Sona59 at 7-3-2024 10:36 AM
Hi everyone! Did any of you happen to catch the League Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea? Since neither team is my home team, I just watched the match for the entertainment value. In the end, Liverpool won 1-0 against Chelsea. The match was full of twists and turns, and the post-match opinions from both sets of fans were vastly different, yet there was a shared sense of tragic atmosphere, which I found quite intriguing. So, I wanted to share this interesting experience with you all.
First, let's talk about Liverpool. For them, this match was extremely challenging even before kickoff, not because Chelsea was too strong, but because Liverpool had too many key players injured. Players like Salah, Núñez, Alisson, Jota, Arnold, Jones, and others were all sidelined. As a result, Liverpool couldn't even field a complete starting lineup. During the match, their substitute midfielder Gravenberch even suffered a malicious injury from the opponent and had to be stretchered off, adding a strong sense of tragedy to Liverpool's plight.
And it didn't end there. Liverpool also faced unfair refereeing decisions during the match. In reality, they didn't need to wait until stoppage time to score the winning goal; a header from Van Dijk was disallowed due to a dubious offside call. This led to extra time, making the final even more grueling. The team was exhausted by the end, and the substitutes brought on were mostly youth academy players, some of whom even the Liverpool fans might not have recognized. Yet, it was precisely in this difficult situation that the feeling of victory became so precious. Despite facing numerous injustices and injuries, with youth academy players stepping up, against an opponent assembled with a €1 billion squad, Liverpool's resilience persisted until the end, earning them a victory they rightfully deserved. With Klopp set to leave after this season, this championship becomes even more meaningful, transcending beyond just a League Cup title.
In contrast to the jubilation of the winners, Chelsea fans collectively plunged into a tragic atmosphere of "how did we end up like this?" Just two years ago, Chelsea were the champions of Europe, but the sudden departure of the previous owner Abramovich due to unforeseen circumstances, followed by the arrival of the new owner Boehly, has seen Chelsea drift further away from their ironclad dominance. The core of their Champions League-winning squad has been dismantled, with most of the players bought being overpriced, and there has been a revolving door of managers. Yet, instead of seeing improvement, their performance has deteriorated, leaving many Chelsea fans feeling helpless. Why has their beloved team slipped so drastically in just two years? Even this League Cup final could be seen as Chelsea's last straw for salvation. With no hopes for the Premier League title, and no European competition, currently sitting tenth in the league, it's a tough ask to secure European qualification through league standings alone. So, they pinned their hopes on this League Cup to at least secure a Europa Conference League spot and boost morale. But in the end, they lost everything. That's how this season has turned out for Chelsea, and that's the overall mood of Chelsea fans right now - there's no hope left.
I've written quite a bit today because I wanted to give everyone an insight into the emotional journey of fans from both sides. Isn't it fascinating? The same game, different perspectives, yet both evoke a sense of tragedy. The reason I wanted to share these stories with you is because I've encountered people who don't understand football, thinking fans are strange. Why would they go crazy supporting a team when it's just 22 people kicking a ball around? That's because these teams are more than just about playing football. Every player, every club, every fan - they watch the game not just for the skills displayed but also because they are passionate about telling their own stories, the players' stories, and the club's stories. Some of these stories span hundreds of years. This is what we call the heritage of football, and it's not something easily replaced. |
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Post time 7-3-2024 10:35:10