Enzo Fernandez, consumed with anger, had to be restrained after being provoked by a fan following Chelsea’s loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Virgil van Dijk nodded in Konstantinos Tsimikas’ corner in the 118th minute, securing Liverpool’s record tenth League Cup win and preserving their chance for a historic quadruple this season.
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Chelsea missed several promising chances, and Raheem Sterling had a goal disallowed for offside in an exhilarating first half.
Mauricio Pochettino’s quest for a trophy in English football remains unfulfilled, leaving him visibly emotional at the final whistle, even seeming to ignore Chelsea owner Todd Boehly in the Wembley stands.
Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea’s record signing, had a subdued performance in midfield and showed similar emotions after the match. He appeared disheartened as he walked to collect his runners-up medal, receiving consolation from officials and dignitaries along the way.
While ascending the steps, Fernandez was taunted by a Liverpool fan, who shouted, “Enzo, unlucky lad!” amidst laughter, successfully provoking a reaction from the 2023 World Cup winner.
The enraged midfielder swiftly directed a piercing glare towards the source of the comment, before being escorted away by Chelsea teammate Jimi Tauriainen.
can someone get @Enzo13Fernandez some food he must be real hungry, real bitey there only said better look next year wanted to punch me ???? on 200k a week plus n hes just fronted me ???? @SkySportsPL pic.twitter.com/0KXsAUJYna
— lee (@liam_hollett5) February 25, 2024
During Sky Sports’ commentary, former Manchester United and England right-back Gary Neville labeled Chelsea as ‘billion-pound bottlers,’ highlighting their failure to seize a golden opportunity for silverware.
When questioned about Neville’s criticism during his post-match press conference, Pochettino deemed the remark ‘unfair,’ emphasizing the impossibility of comparing the two teams at Wembley.
‘I don’t hear what he said but I think if you compare the age of the two groups I think it’s similar,’ the Chelsea head coach told reporters.
‘But look, I have a good relationship with Gary and I don’t know how I can take [that comment]. It’s his opinion but I respect his opinion.
‘Of course, we made a few changes with [Conor] Gallagher and [Ben] Chilwell coming off in extra-time, but it’s true, we didn’t keep the energy that we finished with in the second half.
‘I don’t know how you can describe this situation but for sure I feel proud of the players, I think they made a big effort and we are a young team and nothing to compare with Liverpool because they finished with also a few young players.
‘I think it’s impossible to compare and he knows it.’
