Klopp: We can take a giant leap
JURGEN KLOPP has urged his Liverpool heroes to take a giant leap by becoming world champions for the first time.
And the Anfield boss even compared the achievement of lifting the Club World Cup to US astronaut Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.
Ahead of tonight’s clash with Brazilian side Flamengo, Klopp said: “I don’t know how you approach something that has never been done before, like landing on the moon.
“We’ll just try to play a really good game and win against a good side.
“The Club World Cup winner, you don’t often get the chance to do it. For most of the players, with the countries they represent, they never have a chance to win a World Cup so this is the only chance.
“It’s the same for me but who cares about me? It feels like a big opportunity. I don’t feel pressure but I feel a real opportunity and I want to do it.”
Liverpool have lifted the European Cup six times but have never won this competition in three previous attempts. And Klopp admits this event has traditionally been more important to South American teams, which has been summed up by the fixture chaos Liverpool left back home.
He added: “Flamengo got sent here from their country with a clear order – to win it and come back as heroes. We got told – stay at home and play the Carabao Cup.
“But we are here and my team wants to win. They have different ways of playing, they can be more direct, creative in the centre, cheeky on the wings, they shoot from everywhere, they’re just like a successful football team should be.
“And they’re not used to losing any more. You say I’ve never played a Brazilian team but I’ll tell you one thing, they’ve never played a team like Liverpool before.”
Reds defender Virgil van Dijk trained for the first time since arriving in Doha but remains a fitness concern due to illness with Georginio Wijnaldum set to miss out through injury.
But Klopp launched a fresh attack over fixture chaos after the decision to schedule FA Cup fourth-round replays during the winter break.
The Premier League have their first mid-season rest in February but there is potential for Liverpool having it interrupted by Cup fixtures.
He said: “If you draw in the fourth round, you play the replay in that week.
“It’s incredible. Just in the winter break. Right? I really don’t understand that.”