When you have just lost a cup final it is not often you say that it will live long in the memory, but the Carabao Cup at the weekend was an exception. This was always going to be an extremely emotional event with what is happening in the world right now, never mind at Chelsea FC or at Wembley itself.There was a statement from the club beforehand commenting on the difficult time the Ukrainian people are having. The Chelsea fans themselves at the game were impressively loud and eloquent when they joined Liverpool fans and most of the rest of the planet showing their support for Ukraine before the match started.We cheered and applauded while Liverpool fans poignantly and pointedly sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ when the public announcement was made, and the huge blue and yellow flag was portrayed on the big screens. I was as proud of those fans as I have ever been in that moment. Like everyone else I plead for this aggression and madness to be stopped as soon as possible.In the midst of all this, a game of football had to be played and I was also then made to feel great pride in how the footballers responded. It was not only one of the best 0-0 games you will ever see, but one of the best adverts for the actual game of football itself that you are likely to witness. There were after all 21 goals scored in the end of that 0-0 draw as well as an avalanche of incidents from start to finish. I don’t intend to discuss them all blow by blow, that would take 5000 words at least. Even boiling it boil down to 25 minutes of highlights was an almost impossible task.

I was working for Quest TV who were showing those evening highlights in the UK and I honestly felt sorry for the poor editor left to make the decisions about what to show and what to leave out. Though to be honest I would probably have refused to do the after-match analysis if they didn’t show the Lukaku offside decision. I am still not fully convinced VAR got that one right.Anyone one of seven or eight players went to bed that night, no doubt totally exhausted by their superhuman efforts, thinking they could have, and maybe should have scored the winning goal in the 120 minutes before the spot-kicks.Fortunately, they will not have to dwell on it too long. If you were the only player who had missed a big chance it would be much tougher to put to the back of your mind, I can tell you!

If any Chelsea fans did stay up to watch that highlights show they might have been surprised that I looked almost happy. Of course I wanted us to win, I even believe we shaded it as the better team over the piece, but honestly the skill, effort, excitement and passion on show from every single player in blue made it impossible for me to be anything other than positive. And anyway, I watch football to be entertained and if you weren’t entertained by that game, you really ought to be looking for another sport.Afterwards I got the tube back into London with Michael Thomas, the former Liverpool player – also one time Chelsea youth - and even that journey was a joy as the Liverpool and Chelsea fans on the tube had friendly banter. Maybe not all fans will have been the same post-match, but those I was with understood they had just witnessed something special. My favourite line was, ‘Yes Chelsea might have lost the Carabao Cup by the narrowest of margins, but as it stands we are still world and European champions, so maybe a little perspective is all that is needed at this point.’

I also loved the fact that both teams gave everything for what is to be fair, the least important trophy on offer. Few if any countries have such respect, when it comes to the crunch, for the third domestic trophy. English football may have plenty wrong with it, but I do love that willingness not to be snooty about this competition.A strange thing crossed my mind as I walked away from the stadium however and I hope it wasn’t a premonition. If I am never able to see Chelsea play in another cup final in person, and you just never know, I will be happy with that last performance even though it was a defeat.After all that excitement however, reality of course dawned again when the real world muscled back into our collective consciousness, and I don’t mean playing Luton Town in the FA Cup at Kenilworth Road tomorrow night.

Football is incredible at doing this, in the darkest of times it can take you briefly away to a different place for a short time and it isn’t the first time that has happened over the last couple of years in particular. This is maybe the other big reason why so many of us love this sport. As the great sportswriter Hugh McIIvanney said, ‘it is a glorious irrelevance.’It cannot however be an irrelevance just now. UEFA has moved the Champions League final, Gazprom is being cut from the sports advertising, Man Utd have dumped Aeroflot, all Russian football teams are suspended from international football, and I am sure much more will happen if things do not change for the better in Ukraine. Whatever we all can do we have to, and we have to be brave and steadfast. Maybe, just maybe, this sport and the people who love it can show that it isn’t an irrelevance after all.