Pochettino explains why he didn’t feature this Chelsea star in Carabao Cup final

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Mauricio Pochettino has explained Thiago Silva’s absence from the Carabao Cup final with Liverpool.

Silva suffered an injury against Crystal Palace about two weeks ago, and has been sidelined ever since.

The Brazilian however returned to training last week, and was expected to at least, be on the bench against Liverpool after missing the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, but his name was nowhere near the team sheet.

Speaking to reporters about the defender’s absence ahead of kick-off at Wembley, Pochettino said: “He didn’t feel comfortable after the training yesterday.

“He came back off the field not in a condition where he could be involved today.

“It is always important to have experienced players because they can translate that experience to others. But we know the circumstances and we need to compete. For sure, we believe we can be very competitive.”