BUY-BUY POCH?
Reds boss earned his reward by being ruthless and spending big on the right players. If Spurs don’t follow suit, they could lose their manager
JURGEN KLOPP could not contain his happiness as he stood with a bottle of beer celebrating the greatest night of his 18-year managerial career.
This was the culmination of nearly four years’ hard work at Anfield, rebuilding a squad and, most importantly, learning and improving from his own mistakes. Ultimately, it was Klopp’s biggest signings which made the difference and made Liverpool champions of Europe for an incredible sixth time. This was the dream which Klopp sold Virgil van Dijk when he chose Liverpool above every other major club in Europe. In the end, the Dutch centre-half only wanted to play for Klopp. The German was ruthless last summer, paying a world-record fee for a goalkeeper to bring in Brazil’s Alisson for £66million. Liverpool had to be ruthless to move on from Loris Karius after his Champions League final nightmare 12 months ago. If you want to win the biggest trophies, then you have to improve.
That is now, of course, the challenge for Tottenham and Mauricio Pochettino. If they are to take the next step and win trophies, they have to make the necessary investment in quality. If Spurs do not buy this summer, this season’s European adventure will remain a one-off, and that is the underlying reason why manager Pochettino has been so coy on his future.
He is surely challenging the club’s chairman, Daniel Levy, to back him. Liverpool did that for Klopp and reaped the rewards. The Reds were far from their best in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, maybe the three-week break between the end of the season and the final took the edge off their sharpness and fitness.
But the key was that when they were under the cosh, when Spurs were chasing and pressing for an equaliser in the second half, it was Liverpool’s experience, quality and character which stood firm.
That is why they paid £75m for Van Dijk and brought in Alisson because they are assured, they refused to back down, and were defiant where others buckled in the past.
That was the difference between Madrid and the previous losing finals under Klopp. This time, Van Dijk was a beacon of calm, composure and strength in the middle of defence.
Alisson made three terrific saves, his best from Christian Eriksen’s free-kick with the score still at 1-0. If that had gone in, maybe it would have ended with Klopp suffering a seventh straight loss in a final and Liverpool stuck in a rut.
Instead, they saw it out with Divock Origi – of all people – getting the priceless second goal to settle the nerves after Liverpool defended Mo Salah’s secondminute penalty for so long.
Liverpool were so close in the title race, but this victory will give them the belief they can go one further next time and, for now, this team has already gained legendary status by lifting another European Cup.
Liverpool’s ownership have backed Klopp to the hilt, they have been rewarded with glory, and the biggest trophy of all.
If Klopp saw weaknesses in the past and wanted to improve them, then you can be sure he will try to take more steps forward this summer. Maybe it will be in midfield.
They also know success is vital in keeping key players, should other European superpowers come calling for Salah (above) or Sadio Mane. Now there is no reason to be going anywhere.
This, after all, should be just the start of a new era of success under Klopp. It should be a stepping stone for Pochettino. But unless Spurs buy big and with quality, it will be hard to improve on this season.
For Liverpool, being crowned European champions will only add to the Reds’ belief they can overhaul Manchester City in the Premier League next time.