KLOPP: IT’S MY BEST EVER SIDE
JURGEN KLOPP believes liverpool are mentally tough enough to finally convert development into silverware in Saturday’s Champions league final.
liverpool have lost two european finals under the german, in 2016 and 2018, but their boss believes they can use last season’s chastening 3-1 defeat by real Madrid to their advantage. Klopp labelled this team the ‘best I’ve ever had’ and insisted there is now a different mentality within the squad ahead of the allenglish meeting with Tottenham.
‘The year before we (just) wanted to be in Kiev, this year we want to win it — that’s the difference,’ Klopp said. ‘It’s had a big influence on us. I remember when we were standing in the queue at the airport in Kiev on the way home — all in tracksuits, heads down, everybody really frustrated and very disappointed about the situation.
‘We could not really get it. You weren’t allowed to be angry. There were a lot of different emotions but the plan was: we’ll come again. We’ll be there again. now we are.
‘each team who lost a final will think about putting it right. We have the chance to do that. That was the kick- start for the development of this team. This team doesn’t compare to the team last year.
‘These boys want to be there. It’s not like, “oh, it’s coming up” and we get scared. We are a completely different team from last year. It’s the best team I’ve ever had. I have never been part of a final with a better team than this.’
georginio Wijnaldum suggested that the painful manner of defeat, captured by the calamitous performance of goalkeeper loris Karius, should serve to spur the reds on. ‘I think what happened to us last year will help us this year,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we can bring this final to a better end. everything can happen in a final, but I don’t think we are nervous or think that things can happen to us, to be honest. We take it more as an experience and that it’s something we shouldn’t be scared of.’
Klopp agreed that victory in his third Champions league final — he also lost against Bayern Munich while Borussia Dortmund manager in 2013 — would be the biggest achievement of his career.
The 51-year-old suggested it would overtake what he regards as his greatest triumph to date — promotion with Mainz to the Bundesliga in 2004. ‘If I win it, yes,’ he added. ‘My biggest moment was getting Mainz promoted in 2004, if you knew the money we had, then nobody needed us in the top league.
‘This chance gives us all excitement. The best moment for the final would have been five minutes after we beat Barcelona! The mood in the team is brilliant, the work-rate and attitude. The best piece of character of this team is the constant readiness for development.’
liverpool go in as favourites — roberto Firmino is winning the fight to prove his fitness after training in Marbella last week — but Klopp insisted that will count for nothing in Madrid.
‘We’ve probably got more experience but Mauricio pochettino is probably right, it doesn’t make any difference,’ he said.
‘It’s about using the things that brought us to the final. We’ve controlled our emotions really well. It’s pure excitement.
‘We’re really looking forward to it and being really happy to have that chance. That’s what we wanted after last year.’