Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola said it will be "special" to face Bournemouth in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup, but added his former team was the only one side he didn't want to face in the next round.
He also stressed Liverpool will have to "earn the right" to progress to the semifinals against an in-form Bournemouth that has kicked on since Iraola's departure to Anfield.
Liverpool booked their place in the last eight of the competition by defeating Chelsea on penalties after the game had finished 1-1 in normal time on Wednesday. The Reds will host Bournemouth at Anfield in December in a bid to reach the semifinals.
"I was talking before the draw and I said: 'The only team that I don't want is Bournemouth,'" Iraola said in his postmatch news conference. "For me it's special, but they know me very well, they are playing very well lately, in a good moment. But it is what it is. We haven't been very lucky with the draws. We played Spurs, Chelsea already, now Bournemouth, that is going to be obviously special for me. But we have to earn the right to be in the semi-finals and I hope we can do it here at home again."
Liverpool and Chelsea traded penalties ahead of halftime to go to the break tied 1-1, and despite several changes in the second half by Iraola, the hosts could not find a breakthrough goal before the game was decided from the spot.
Reflecting on his team's performance against Chelsea, Iraola said: "In the end in cup competitions, what matters is that you are in the next round, and you are in the draw. And luckily for us, we finished on the right side of the penalty shootout.
"I think we are pleased because the players have done a very big effort today and at least we get the reward of being in the quarterfinals."
Liverpool made it all the way to the final of the Carabao Cup last season before losing 2-1 to Newcastle United.
For former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso it was the third successive defeat at Anfield since becoming a manager, having lost with Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid without scoring.
"For sure the outcome is not what we wanted, not what we expected before the game," said the former Spain international, who named virtually his strongest-possible team. "Once we reached the penalties there is going to be a sad sight.
"We played the game to a very good competitive level, we showed an improvement, we played with courage.
"It is a small setback, probably the least important competition for us so we move on.
"As soon as we leave Anfield our focus is the Premier League on Saturday [at home to Manchester United]."