Klopp admits CL comeback will be harder at an empty Anfield
with or without supporters. This here (at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium inside Madrid’s club’s training ground) was really strange.
“It was really difficult, a different situation with the stadium, but Anfield is at least a proper stadium and that will be good for us.”
In a season of ups and downs, a week ago the most likely route back into the
Champions League next season for Liverpool looked like coming from winning the competition itself.
However, a win over Arsenal and other results going their way has put the top four back within reach as they sit just three points adrift of West Ham, who occupy fourth place, with only one of their remaining eight games against a team (Manchester
United) higher than ninth.
But Klopp said it was not realistic to just flip-flop between prioritising competitions. “We cannot be picky with that, we have to go for everything,” he added.
“It’s not like we can now make the decision after that game there is no chance for us in the Champions League any more. In the Premier League, we cannot change it every week – we have to fight until the end and we will.
“This was a really good result for Real Madrid and it’s not that we have any kind of advantage, but with each day and each minute that will go until the next game the 3-1 will not be that good any more for Real Madrid and not that bad any more for us because there is, of course, a chance.
“But we have to play much better football (and) we cannot get it like tonight. For example, when we played against Barcelona and lost (the first leg) 3-0 we played a super game. That’s a massive difference.
“We can play much better (than against Madrid) and we can be much more uncomfortable to play against than we were and that’s what we have to make sure next week.”