WE’RE UP FOR SEVEN
Klopp confident Liverpool’s hunger for more European glory can help his team to continue creating history
JURGEN KLOPP has demanded Liverpool create more stories and warned that his players are hungry to conquer Europe for a seventh time.
The Anfield side begin their defence of the Champions League in Naples tonight and after a flying start to their domestic campaign, the Reds boss wants to see his players replicate that form in Italy.
Klopp quickly put Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid behind him and says his squad are focused on creating more history, with the aim of reaching the final in Istanbul next May.
‘You cannot imagine how normal it is to carry on after all the celebrations,’ said Klopp. ‘It is so easy to carry on as normal if you have the right character.
‘If you go nuts and start taking drugs and drinking and driving 15 cars or whatever and leave your missus at home because you are now a Champions League winner, I cannot help you. But we are not like that. We want to create more stories to remember in the future, not just this one.’
Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s captain, echoed his manager’s sentiments and said: ‘I don’t see it being a problem for this team. We are always hungry for more and want to improve. We always feel we can do better. Everything is possible.’
Anfield full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold added: ‘We’ve got a big target on our backs now as we are European champions. We are the team to beat, so it’s exciting. We need to try and defend the honour as much as possible — and retain it if we can.’
There was a time when Liverpool travelled into Europe as just a famous name with a rich back story, but this year’s Champions League campaign begins with them standing proudly on top of their perch. Plenty will want to knock them off but the challenge of staying there is a source of inspiration.
Liverpool, arguably, have been the top team in European competition since Klopp arrived on Merseyside — four finals and two trophies since 2016 makes their claim compelling — and their hunger to carry on achieving should not be underestimated.
The events of June 1, when they beat Tottenham in Madrid, will not be forgotten, but nor will it be spoken about each time they have a Champions League date. Klopp and his players have made it clear the future is what matters and that begins in the foreboding Stadio San Paolo tonight.
‘A lot of the players we have are world class,’ said AlexanderArnold. ‘They know what it takes to win things, so I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to embrace that as a team. I think we have so far this season in the Premier League.
‘Last season we did so well and this season we’re up there again. Lots of teams will come to Anfield to try and beat us, play different ways. We know that’s going to be the test for us. But we need to be ready for all types of tests.
‘Being able to keep clean sheets and to win away is important — especially in the Champions League, when you probably only get one or two chances (in a game). You are playing against Europe’s elite and it’s about maximising your opportunities.’
The quest to win ‘No7’ starts with the toughest assignment in Group E, in a stadium that will resemble a furnace at kick-off. They have long memories here and the way Liverpool squeezed Carlo Ancelotti’s team out of the group stage 12 months ago still rankles.
Klopp’s team lost 1-0 when they visited last October, succumbing to an 89th-minute Lorenzo Insigne goal, but the final score gave no reflection to how the game went: Klopp spent most of it with his arms spinning like the sails on a windmill, so aghast was he with the performance.
‘We were just not...’ said Klopp, searching for the right words about where it went wrong. ‘All the things we do, all the things we tell the boys about intensity and how much we have to invest — Napoli plays a specific style.
‘To make it simple, we played against them in our defending like they had one six but they had two sixes, the cheeky b ****** s! We tried to change it in the game. Nobody listened and nobody could change. In the end they were lucky (when) they scored but we were lucky it was only 1-0.’
Liverpool have arrived in Italy in rude health. Klopp has some concerns over Andrew Robertson. He missed training due to a knee issue sustained in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Newcastle but, that apart, they are primed and ready.
‘We are trying to reach the same level as last year,’ said Klopp. ‘We will judge our improvement at the end of the season. For the moment, we will do our best.’