Jürgen Klopp and Antonio Conte, coaches of Liverpool and Tottenham respectively, are calling for the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup to be played in one game, instead of back and forth, as planned. The schedules are to be defined on the basis that the outbound is set for January 4 and the return, on January 11.
Spurs, seventh in the Premier League, have three games pending due to postponements linked to bad weather conditions and the outbreak of covid in the squad. Liverpool, 2nd, were also affected by four positive Covid-19 cases last week.
The ‘reds’ face Arsenal in the semifinals, while Tottenham will face Chelsea, European champions and Conte’s former team.
“I think it would be better to play just one game, but what I say is not too important,” said Klopp, who would not be opposed to playing that one game at Arsenal’s home at the Emirates Stadium.
Its captain, Jordan Henderson, is concerned that “no one is taking the well-being of the players seriously” in relation to the tough schedule imposed on the teams.
“It would be better to play one game instead of two, especially in the current context, but we are following the rules,” Conte said.
A year ago, the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, the English League Cup, were played to just one match due to the pandemic.