Champions League final: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has never had 'better team'
Last updated on .From the section Liverpool
| Champions League final |
|---|
| Venue: Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid Date: 1 June 2019 Time: 20:00 BST |
| Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website and app. |
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he has never had a better team for a final as they prepare to face Tottenham in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Klopp, 51, lost in the final with Borussia Dortmund in 2013 and Liverpool in 2018.
He said he is "pretty sure" forward Roberto Firmino will be available after a thigh injury, with midfielder Naby Keita likely to be the only absentee.
"I have never been part of a final with a better team than this," Klopp said.
"I am not so surprised by this because our boys mix our potential with attitude in the best way I have witnessed.
"I don't like to blame my other teams. I love them all. They all gave everything."
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German Klopp has lost his previous six finals, including his last three in Europe, and is yet to win silverware after three attempts with Liverpool.
Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Sevilla in the 2016 Europa League final under Klopp, three months after losing to Manchester City on penalties in the League Cup final.
Gareth Bale's sublime overhead kick and two goalkeeping errors by Loris Karius condemned Liverpool to a 3-1 defeat in last year's final against Real Madrid in Kiev.
"I remember standing in the queue at Kiev airport after the final in our tracksuits with our heads down and everyone was disappointed," said Klopp.
"There were a lot of different emotions but the plan was we come again; we will be there again."
Liverpool overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate to reach the Champions League final in Madrid.
"In the five, six days between Barcelona and Barcelona, nobody believed more than the team themselves," Klopp said.
"That is why we are here. It is a sensational situation. We wanted it really desperately."
'Winning would be different'
Klopp said winning the Champions League would be the pinnacle of his career, topping his achievement in guiding Mainz into the Bundesliga in his first managerial role.
"If I win it, yes. It would be different to the last finals," Klopp said.
"To bring the team to the Champions League final is the biggest moment in my career? No, that was 2004, getting promoted with Mainz.
"If you had known the money we had, the circumstances we had, nobody needed us in the first league.
"If I win the Champions League, though, I will have to think about this question again."
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As a Liverpool fan obviously want us to win it but if we do lose to Spurs for me it's not a bad team to lose considering they get the same boring garbage thrown at them like we do, atleast one of us can stick it in the trolls faces.
Newcastle might become the next City with their takeover, & City are dominant domestically at least.
Why shouldn't fans of the 4 finalists do a bit of peacocking? Take pride in our achievements? Anyone shooting them down needs to lay off the salt!
I don't think Klopp will be under any pressure before or after the game as regards cup finals. What has gone before will not enter his mind, it's all about saturday. And no matter what happens there is not another manager who could come to Liverpool, build an exciting team like this and bring so much money into the club in prize money, player sales and increasing merchandise sales.
Whatever happens, it has been a great season & winning on Saturday would be the cherry on top.
If not, oh well. Keeping this team together means a few more great seasons ahead!
"I'd rather have a plastic club like PSG win it
Thats rich coming from the worlds 1st all plastic club complete with plastic fans waving their free plastic flags.
It's a sort of win-win, just hope it's a good game and a fitting end to a terrific CL competition this year.
Liverpool are the better team but anything can happen in a one off game - as we found out in last years final!
What on earth are you talking about???
35 minutes ago
@20 - The Knowledge - what are you on about?....is that single neuron swimming aimlessly in your skull getting a bit lonely?
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He's a Scots bloke who continually makes anti Scots comments on the sports pages and pretends to be English as far as I'm aware. Hence his post about Robertson.
He tries to stir up trouble.
Here’s to a great game and may the best team win!
However, when all is said & done, this LFC side aren't as gung ho as in past seasons, & would have learnt a lot from last year's final.
LFC aren't as naive as Ajax were. If I weren't a fan, I'd still back LFC all the way.