Buck the trend
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the race until the end. Sometimes I thought, ‘My God, everyone else is already on holiday, they have had four weeks and I’m still going nuts’.
“I try to get everything. When I sleep, I sleep. When I’m not, I’m really awake. I try to push everything I can to get everything I can get.
“I had to learn in my life to accept defeats, it doesn’t feel too good. You could say it is better to go out in the semifinal so it doesn’t hurt so much than if you lose the final. But being in the final is the opportunity.”
The massive bonus of Champions League football en route to the final against the Spaniards, who are seeking to win the competition for the third successive season.
Klopp is likely to keep faith with the side who dispatched Villarreal in the semi-final second leg, with Daniel Sturridge spearheading a team also likely to contain Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino.
The arrival of Klopp last October has helped point Liverpool back in the right direction and, having experienced defeat in the Capital One Cup final against Manchester City in February, he is anxious for his team to show how far they have progressed.
A ninth European title would underscore the transformation and Klopp, goes to the winners of tonight’s game, but Klopp has barely mentioned that over the past week.
Of course, it would help Anfield’s bean counters write their cheques, but his focus lies on writing history.
Klopp was asked winning a European would mean personally.
“Nice party, yes?” he said, the twinkle in his eyes suggesting that of someone hoping to be the last man standing at the bar in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
“I’m quite good at celebrating things. It is long ago that I celebrated something really, so I’m ready.” what trophy whose squad arrived in Switzerland on Monday night to narrow their focus, said: “In my opinion, we are really in a perfect moment to play a final.
“That doesn’t mean all is already done. No, it’s far away from this. It’s only about the preparation.
“This hard, intensive seven months feel like it should end in a final. Always working for each point, each goal and each opportunity in the game, sometimes yes, sometimes no: good performances, bad performances. At the end you have a final.
“I’m really happy. Nobody feels the intensity of the Premier League season in this moment. We have the breath of fresh air.”
James Milner is set to captain Liverpool with Jordan Henderson, just back from injury, among the substitutes.
Victory would cap a season of change at Anfield, but Klopp is adamant it must only be the start.
“You win it, you get it,” he said. “We are far away from the end of a development, this team are still developing.
“It is a very important stage but we can do it and do better. We can still do better in the next season. We have to.
“After this final, it is a break and we have to use this to be a champion. In any part of life that is brilliant and it feels wonderful.”
FORMER Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers last night emerged as odds-on favourite to take over at Celtic as the club step up their recruitment process to replace Ronny Deila. JORDAN Henderson says every Liverpool player has “gone up a level” since Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield.
And the club can underline that by wrecking Sevilla’s bid for an unprecedented hat-trick of Europa League titles tonight.
Henderson believes Klopp’s infectious enthusiasm and winning mentality have transformed Liverpool.
Asked what progress had been made, he said: “It has been massive. From the moment he arrived he instilled a mentality and belief not only in the players, but also in the fans.
“In the six or seven months he has been here we’ve gone up a level as a team and every player has gone up a level.
“We’re here in a European final on the big stage and if we can perform as we have done for the last few months then I’m very confident we are going to win the game.”
Henderson is fit to play a part, but accepts it will probably be from the bench. The midfielder has played less than half an hour of first-team football – as a substitute at West Brom on Sunday – since injuring knee ligaments in the first leg of the quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund on April 7.
But he said: “It is everything you dream of as a young boy. It’s a huge night for everyone involved and everyone wants to play.
“I don’t expect to start. I’ve been injured a long time and only played 25 minutes.
“But at the same time, I feel good and I am ready to play as long or as little as the manager wants me to.
“I managed to get some time under my belt on Sunday and I feel good. Now it’s down to what the manager says.”