Bournemouth Drawn Against Iraola's Liverpool in Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals

Bournemouth have been handed a blockbuster Carabao Cup quarter-final trip to Liverpool, setting up a reunion with former Cherries boss Andoni Iraola.

The Sun reports that the draw sends Bournemouth to Anfield, with Iraola facing his old club as Liverpool manager, while Fleetwood and Bradford City also discovered their last-eight opponents, both earning home ties against Premier League sides (The Sun).

Sky Sports confirms the same outcome, noting that Liverpool will host Bournemouth while Bradford and Fleetwood get home draws of their own against top-flight opposition, underlining just how kind the draw has been to the lower-league survivors (Sky Sports).

The standout detail across the coverage, though, is how Iraola himself feels about facing the club he used to manage. ESPN reports that the Liverpool boss admitted it will be "special" to come up against Bournemouth, going as far as to say they were the only team that I don't want in the draw (ESPN). That quote captures the slightly awkward but intriguing nature of the tie for Cherries supporters, who will remember Iraola fondly from his time on the south coast before his move to Anfield.

For Bournemouth, this is a superb opportunity to test themselves against one of the biggest names in the English game and potentially book a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. There's an obvious sense of occasion too, given the personal story of Iraola returning to face his former players in a competitive fixture for the first time since leaving.

Before any of that, though, Bournemouth have domestic business to attend to, with Leeds United visiting the Vitality Stadium on Saturday 31 October. That Premier League clash will come first, with the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Liverpool to follow once dates are confirmed.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.