JURGEN’S ONE-DAY HANGOVER
“Two out of four wasn’t bad – I was down but then the parade picked me up again”
JURGEN KLOPP revealed it took him just 24 hours to get over the pain of missing out on the Premier League and Champions League last season.
The Liverpool boss saw his side fall short by a single point in the title race, edged out by tomorrow’s Community Shield opponents Manchester City.
The Reds, who had already won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, were then beaten in the Champions League final by Real Madrid.
But Klopp did not wallow for long, as a celebration of the cup Double involving thousands of fans picked him up the day after the European showpiece.
He said: “It took me a day and then we had a parade in Liverpool and I was fine with everything because we knew it was close, we knew it was unlucky moments but it is sport and we accept the rules.
“One point after 38 matchdays and one goal more can be enough in a game. What was my conclusion of the season? I don’t think it makes too much sense to think like this.
“We played an incredible high level, we were consistent, we fought hard, these are all things we have to do again.”
Liverpool go into the season without Sadio Mane, who left for Bayern Munich, while Divock Origi and Takumo Minamino departed too.
They have Darwin
Nunez, signed from Benfica, up front and Fabio Carvalho from Fulham. Luis Diaz begins the campaign with a full pre-season behind him having impressed since his arrival from Porto in January.
“Of course we had a little change in our team, we lost Sadio , but we can’t stick together forever,” said Klopp.
“When Sadio told us he wanted to face a new challenge because it was early enough we accepted it so we had time to prepare and we did.
“Now we have to find together again, with the difference that one fixed point is gone.”
First-choice keeper Alisson will miss the game at Leicester’s King Power Stadium. He has trained after recovering from an abdominal problem but will not be ready to take on City and will be held back for the Premier League opener the following weekend against Fulham.
Diogo Jota is sidelined with a hamstring injury and unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.
Klopp said: “Ali trained today more than the day before so will definitely be available for Fulham, but not for the weekend.
“And the same for Diogo. Diogo wasn’t here with us so how could he play a football game? That will take a while unfortunately. That’s it.”
Second-choice keeper Caoimhin Kelleher is still out injured, so Adrian is expected to start against City.