Key Points
- Xabi Alonso claims that if Chelsea scores goals against Liverpool in their Carabao Cup quarterfinal clash in Anfield on Wednesday, 28th October 2026, he will celebrate while showing respect to his former club.
- The head coach of Chelsea maintains that his priority is the current squad even though there is still a connection with Liverpool. He is making his first trip to Anfield with Chelsea, and it will be his third time as the head coach of the opposing team.
- João Pedro will miss the game due to his injury on the thigh. Xabi Alonso maintains that his absence will last for several weeks without stating the exact date of his return.
- Among the injured players, the Liverpool Echo names Dominik Szoboszlai, Victor Muñoz, Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni.
- Moreover, Xabi Alonso revealed his reason for refusing to move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in 2024 when they needed a new head coach after Jürgen Klopp and praised Florian Wirtz.
Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 28, 2026 – Xabi Alonso says he will celebrate if Chelsea score against Liverpool in Wednesday evening’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield, insisting that supporting his current club is compatible with respecting the team he represented for five years. Chelsea’s official website published the head coach’s comments before his first return to the stadium in charge of the London club.
Alonso’s position puts his professional responsibilities at the centre of a reunion shaped by his Liverpool playing career. He represented the Merseyside club between 2004 and 2009, but says his role has changed and his immediate obligation is to Chelsea.
The match also presents selection difficulties for both managers. Chelsea will be without João Pedro because of a thigh injury, while Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has several injury concerns of his own, according to the Liverpool Echo.
What has Xabi Alonso said about celebrating against Liverpool?
In comments published by Chelsea’s official website, Alonso said: “I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club, and if we score, I will celebrate, for sure, but with respect for the opponent because my bond with Liverpool is there. But I am in a different role now.”
The Liverpool Echo also reported Alonso’s explanation that celebrating a Chelsea goal would not mean dismissing his Liverpool connection. In its account of his pre-match remarks, Alonso said:
“That is the respect for my club and the respect for the opponent as well.”
His comments concern how he would respond to a goal, rather than a promise that Chelsea will win. Neither the club’s account nor the supplied Liverpool Echo report establishes how supporters will react to any celebration.
BBC Sport separately reported the same central position: Alonso intends to celebrate Chelsea goals against his former club. The agreement between those accounts places his current managerial allegiance, rather than any rejection of his playing history, at the centre of the story.
Why does Alonso view this Anfield visit differently?
Chelsea’s official account identifies Wednesday’s match as Alonso’s first visit to Anfield as the club’s manager. He previously returned in charge of Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 and Real Madrid in 2025, both in the Champions League.
According to The Independent’s preview, those earlier visits ended in a 4–0 defeat for Leverkusen and a 1–0 defeat for Madrid. Those results provide context for his managerial record at the ground, but Alonso has rejected a direct comparison with this cup tie.
Speaking through Chelsea’s official website, Alonso said:
“It’s a different game, different competition, different club, with players that have played at Anfield many times.”
He added:
“They know what we are expecting. It’s a cup game, and there can be special moments. Some things are different in this kind of game, so I don’t compare them.”
His explanation distinguishes previous European visits with overseas clubs from taking a domestic opponent to Anfield. Chelsea’s players already have experience of facing Liverpool there, a factor Alonso highlighted when discussing preparations.
How serious is João Pedro’s injury for Chelsea?
The Liverpool Echo reported that João Pedro suffered his injury in training and will not be available against Liverpool. Its report credited the Brazilian with five goals and three assists in six Premier League appearances this season. Those figures refer specifically to his league record, rather than an all-competitions total.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Alonso said: “He has an injury in his thigh and he’s going to be out for a few weeks. Let’s see how many; we don’t want to predict that. But he will not be ready for the next games.”
Alonso acknowledged the importance of the absentee while stressing that Chelsea must adapt. The Echo quoted him saying: “He is a key player and we will miss him, but we have to be ready to deal with the injury, be competitive and try to win games with the players we have available, starting tomorrow against Liverpool, a cup game. This is the situation and we are ready to fight for it and prove we can show a good level.”
Moataz Elgammal of GOAL reported that the injury occurred before Chelsea’s 2–0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur and identified Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha as the remaining recognised centre-forward options. Elgammal reported that Emegha had yet to appear following his summer move from Strasbourg.
GOAL’s report suggested Welbeck could start at Anfield. That remains a selection expectation, not a confirmed team announcement. Likewise, Alonso’s comments establish an absence lasting several weeks but do not settle João Pedro’s precise recovery timetable.
Which Liverpool players face fitness concerns?
According to the Liverpool Echo, Dominik Szoboszlai is not expected to feature until November because of a tight hamstring, while Victor Muñoz remains in recovery from a knee problem.
The same report said Jeremie Frimpong was not expected back until after the November international break because of a muscular injury. It also listed Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni as longer-term absentees who were not anticipated to regain full fitness until the new year.
Those are reported recovery expectations rather than guarantees. They indicate that Iraola, like Alonso, must prepare without access to his full squad, although the supplied report does not provide a confirmed starting line-up.
The injury situation therefore forms a separate, practical element of the build-up: alongside the attention on Alonso’s reception, both clubs must account for unavailable players when selecting their teams.
What did Alonso say about Liverpool’s managerial vacancy and Florian Wirtz?
Moataz Elgammal of GOAL reported Alonso’s explanation of his decision to stay at Bayer Leverkusen when he was linked with Liverpool following Jürgen Klopp’s departure announcement in 2024.
Asked about that period, Alonso said: “Well at that time, I was at (Bayer) Leverkusen and I was aware of the situation but I decided to stay. That was my decision at the time.”
That statement describes his choice to remain in Germany. It should not be treated as confirmation that he rejected a formal Liverpool offer. The Independent’s account reported that he did not speak to Liverpool during that process.
Elgammal also reported Alonso’s support for Florian Wirtz, whom he coached at Leverkusen before the midfielder joined Liverpool. Alonso credited their work together with helping his own managerial development.
According to GOAL, Alonso said:
“One of the main reasons for me being here is the time that I spent with him in Leverkusen. He was a special player. He helped me so much. I learned so much from him and now that he’s in Liverpool, I’m following him and we know that the next step is always an interesting one and he’s getting there.”
Those remarks add another professional connection to the fixture: Alonso returns not only to a former club but also to face a player who contributed to his success as a manager.
