Liverpool's long run of penalty shoot-out success came to an end as Manchester City denied Jurgen Klopp's team in the Capital One Cup final.
The Reds had won their last five finals that went the distance, including their last three trophies against Cardiff City, West Ham United and AC Milan.
But has the curse of Klopp overridden that impressive record?
The German coach has now lost finals in four successive seasons, even if he did do well to bring his team back into the game against City and force penalties.
https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/704024181386698752
First up was the 2013 Champions League final, of course, when Arjen Robben's late strike helped Bayern Munich deny his Borussia Dortmund team.
The same opponents denied him domestically the following season, with Robben on the scoresheet again as Bayern wrapped up victory in extra-time.
And last year Dortmund went the distance in the DFB-Pokal once more, only for Wolfsburg to deny him the perfect send-off with three first-half goals.
Still, if you want to look on the bright side, it means Klopp has reached a cup final for four seasons running. And he could even make it five in four years, with Liverpool still very much alive in the Europa League.
Feisty from Heimir. Heimir Hallgrimsson announced his Ireland squad earlier today, ahead of next week’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia. There were four uncapped players named – Harvey Vale, James Abankwah, Bosun Lawal, Josh Keeley – with Lawal in with a good shot of getting a debut, following an injury to midfielder Josh Cullen. […]
Fans are puzzled. Heimir Hallgrimsson has announced his Ireland squad for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia next Thursday. There was even more big news, with the manager revealing at the end of the press conference that he has signed a new contract until the end of the Euro 2028 campaign. Hallgrimsson stated that […]
A huge occasion. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has named his squad for his side’s crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Czechia next Thursday (kick-off, 7.45pm). The winner of the tie will face the winner of Denmark vs North Macedonia on Tuesday, 31 March. QPR attacking midfielder and former England U20s star, Harvey Vale, has been […]