Daily Mail

THE NEVER-SAY-DIE SPIRIT OF JURGEN’S HEROES HAS TAKEN THEM TO A NEW LEVEL

- MARTIN KEOWN

WITH Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, you have to expect the unexpected. Has there been a bigger night at Anfield? I’m not so sure. That stadium is a cathedral and we witnessed one of its greatest ever games here. The match encapsulat­ed Liverpool’s season. It epitomised the fight they have in them. In the Premier League, against a Manchester City side breaking so many records, Liverpool said: ‘Bring it on.’ Plenty said Klopp’s side would not take the title race to the wire, but they have. That’s what they showed against

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?? GETTY IMAGES ?? Head and shoulders: Wijnaldum rises high and it is level Barcelona last night, too. Many wrote them off after losing 3-0 in the first leg at the Nou Camp. That was this semi-final done and dusted, according to some. But Klopp refused to believe that and so did his players. When everyone said they had no chance, with neither Mohamed Salah nor Roberto Firmino for this return leg, they gave themselves one. They never know when they are beaten. When Liverpool were attacking the Kop end in the second half, they seemed inspired, with Gini Wijnaldum scoring twice and Trent Alexander-Arnold showing great opportunis­m to set up Divock Origi for the winner. Barcelona may have Lionel Messi but this was proof that the team will always be better than one individual. Liverpool have won the European Cup five times and now it’s two finals on the bounce. How have they done that? It’s more than just good tactics. It’s also down to Klopp’s man-management skills. He creates a special team spirit in the camp. Origi made a rare start and scored twice. Wijnaldum was brought off the bench and got two goals. I think their domestic fight with City has helped, too. It has seen them take their game to a new level in Europe. The spirit was coursing through the entire squad at Anfield. At the end, when they were all singing in front of the Kop, that is a moment those players will never forget. Liverpool have given us an unbelievab­le journey this season.
GETTY IMAGES Head and shoulders: Wijnaldum rises high and it is level Barcelona last night, too. Many wrote them off after losing 3-0 in the first leg at the Nou Camp. That was this semi-final done and dusted, according to some. But Klopp refused to believe that and so did his players. When everyone said they had no chance, with neither Mohamed Salah nor Roberto Firmino for this return leg, they gave themselves one. They never know when they are beaten. When Liverpool were attacking the Kop end in the second half, they seemed inspired, with Gini Wijnaldum scoring twice and Trent Alexander-Arnold showing great opportunis­m to set up Divock Origi for the winner. Barcelona may have Lionel Messi but this was proof that the team will always be better than one individual. Liverpool have won the European Cup five times and now it’s two finals on the bounce. How have they done that? It’s more than just good tactics. It’s also down to Klopp’s man-management skills. He creates a special team spirit in the camp. Origi made a rare start and scored twice. Wijnaldum was brought off the bench and got two goals. I think their domestic fight with City has helped, too. It has seen them take their game to a new level in Europe. The spirit was coursing through the entire squad at Anfield. At the end, when they were all singing in front of the Kop, that is a moment those players will never forget. Liverpool have given us an unbelievab­le journey this season.

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