BATTLE
Hendo sends a message of hope to broken-hearted Kop fans: I believe in this team... we will be back in a Champions League final
JORDAN HENDERSON has a message of hope for devastated Liverpool fans as the inquest begins into their Champions League heartbreak.
The talk after defeat by Real Madrid, inevitably, is of another near miss for the Reds, another season without a trophy, during a 12-year run now with just a solitary League Cup to place in the cabinet.
Yet for Henderson, it is about belief. “I believe in this team,” he said. “I believe in this manager. I believe we are going in the right direction. Will we be back in this final? Yeah, I believe that too.
“It is so difficult to stand here now, just after losing, and say all that, but that is the truth. It is how I feel. We have to make it happen.”
Kiev was agonising for Liverpool, the glorious promise of the opening 25 minutes eventually replaced with the bitter sting of defeat, and then blunder and blame.
Yet Henderson, 27, retained some perspective as he called up the stirring memories of the run to Kiev, and not only the spirit shown by the squad that got there, but also their regular flashes of unadulterated brilliance.
It is a sign indicating more to come, he said, not the end of the road. “I believe we will be challenging in all competitions domestically,” he added.
“The Premier League is important to us and we are qualified for the Champions League next season.
“It is hard talking now, saying we must learn from the experience, but that is what we have to do over the next days and weeks.
“We have a young group, a fantastic group of players, who deserve more. We did fantastically well to get here, and now we need to keep growing as a team to be successful in future.”
Liverpool are burdened with the expectation of a superpower, and the demands of a world-famous club, yet their record in the Premier League era suggests no divine right to trophies.
In almost 30 years, they have won just nine major trophies, and four of those were League Cups. In fact, outside the domestic trophies, in the heavyweight competitions of the Premier League and Europe, they have only twice triumphed – the 2001 UEFA Cup and 2005 Champions League.
That stat seems remarkable for a club of Liverpool’s standing, and perhaps is the best response to those criticising manager Jurgen Klopp for failing to convert three finals in less than three years into silverware.
For Henderson, the captain who does so much to foster the spirit required to underpin Klopp’s collective style of football, it is still a journey, and one which is still moving forward, not stalling. He believes the final step is close.
“Now we have to get over that final line – that is the most important thing,” he added.
“It is difficult, especially against a team like Madrid with fantastic players. We are devastated, especially for the fans, but we have to get back to business as soon as possible because we know we are moving in the right direction.
“You see that from 2016 (after defeat in the Europa League final). Only good teams get to the Champions League final, so we have to first make sure this is not the last final we are in, then win those trophies.
“We have good players here and there are more coming in. We will strengthen. It is hard to be positive now but, come pre-season, we will be ready to fight again.”