Football has a funny way of turning full circle. Just ask Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
The pair famously turned down Liverpool in favour of Chelsea last summer. Now, less than a year later, they’ll be clapping in the very team they rejected.
Talk about awkward handshakes at the pre-match lineup.
Chelsea have confirmed they will give newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour before Sunday’s match at Stamford Bridge.
The tradition sees the opposing team line up and applaud the champions onto the pitch. And this time, it’s personal.
Liverpool secured the league title last weekend with a big 5-1 win over Tottenham.
With four games to spare, the Reds can now enjoy a victory lap — and their first stop is at the Bridge, where two of their almost-signings await.
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A Premier League tradition with a twist as Liverpool set to receive guard of honour
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirmed the decision in his pre-match press conference.
“Yes. It’s a tradition. We have to do that and we are going to do that,” Maresca said. “They won the Premier League so they deserve it.”
Maresca also spoke about what the moment might mean for his players.
“Probably in their mind, our players are thinking; ‘I would like one day to be there.’”
The Blues’ coach believes his side is making progress.
“My feeling is we are in the right direction, and hopefully this gap can be smaller and smaller and smaller.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time these two sides have stood on either side of a guard of honour.
In 2015, Liverpool clapped Chelsea onto the pitch. In 2020, Chelsea returned the favour. Now, in 2024, history repeats — with a dash of irony and a sprinkle of what-could-have-been.
Chelsea fans will hope Caicedo and Lavia don’t just clap — but learn. After all, titles aren’t won in the transfer market alone.
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