Jurgen Klopp believes his current Liverpool side is the best team he has ever led to a final and that finishing as Champions League runners-up last year has only made his players stronger.
Liverpool will play Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s showpiece at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, hoping to heal the wounds opened by defeat at this stage against Real Madrid in Kiev last season.
Klopp reacted to that disappointment by spending approximately £165m in the transfer market, strengthening his squad in key areas, and ultimately leading Liverpool to a 97-point season in the Premier League.
Klopp will now have a second chance at lifting Liverpool’s sixth European Cup, and despite reaching this far with Borussia Dortmund in 2013, he believes he has never had a better opportunity to win the competition.
“I don’t like to blame my other teams. I love them all! They all gave everything but I have never been part of a final with a better team than this, that’s true,” Klopp said on Tuesday, at Liverpool’s pre-final media day.
1/24 Liverpool 2018-19 player ratings
How did we rate Liverpool’s players and Jurgen Klopp during the 2018-19 campaign?
AFP/Getty Images
2/24 Alisson Becker – 8/10
A few nervous moments here and his cavalier approach tempts fate slightly too often, but the £65m signing from Roma has been a marked upgrade on his predecessors.
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3/24 Simon Mignolet – 6/10
Played just twice, in two domestic cup defeats, but Mignolet has been an exemplary dressing room influence despite a year spent in Alisson’s shadow.
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4/24 Trent Alexander-Arnold – 9/10
His 13 assists from right-back set a new record for a defender in Premier League history. Still just 20-years-old, yet already one of the world’s best in his position.
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5/24 Virgil van Dijk – 9.5/10
The PFA Player of the Year was a deserving winner, having barely had an off day since August. His transformative effect on Liverpool’s defence cannot be underestimated.
Getty
6/24 Joe Gomez – 7/10
Excellent in the first half of the campaign as Van Dijk’s partner in central defence, unfortunate to then break his leg and miss much of the remainder.
Reuters
7/24 Dejan Lovren – 6/10
Never disgraced himself but injury and the form of others have demoted Lovren from Liverpool’s second-choice centre-back to their fourth.
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8/24 Joel Matip – 8/10
Stepped in to partner Van Dijk in the second half of the campaign and defied his critics. His performance in the win over Barcelona was particularly good.
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9/24 Andrew Robertson – 9/10
The best full-back in the Premier League over the last 18 months. His work rate, delivery and sheer tenacity are exceptional.
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10/24 Alberto Moreno – 4/10
Little more than cover for Robertson, he stepped in on occasion without causing chaos. Will leave Anfield when his contract expires this summer.
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11/24 Fabinho – 8/10
Took time to adapt to Klopp’s style and the rigours of English football but now appears right at home. His snarling display against Barcelona was a highlight.
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12/24 Naby Keita – 6/10
A qualified disappointment. Not yet lived up to great expectations, but there have been enough moments of promise to suggest he will have a better second season.
Getty
13/24 Jordan Henderson – 8/10
The much-maligned captain has shown why he has the trust of many at Anfield. More effective when he was moved out of holding midfield and further forward during the run-in.
AFP/Getty
14/24 James Milner – 7/10
33-years-old, yet shows few signs of fading out. A player for the big moments, he was excellent in the victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Getty Images
15/24 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – N/A
Limited to only two appearances due to the serious knee injury which was supposed to prevent him from playing a single minute this season. Will hope to stay fit next year.
Getty
16/24 Georginio Wijnaldum – 8/10
Quietly excellent, keeping Liverpool’s midfield ticking over and winning possession back when required. Chipped in with big goals against Cardiff and Barcelona.
Reuters
17/24 Adam Lallana – 4/10
Most certainly on the fringes now after two seasons without consistent playing time. Impressed in some cameos, not in others.
Getty
18/24 Xherdan Shaqiri – 6/10
Appeared to be an ideal impact substitute in the first half of the campaign, but his form tailed off and then so did the first-team opportunities. Origi now seems to be preferred.
Getty
19/24 Sadio Mané – 9/10
The finest season of career to date. Stepped into Salah’s shoes when the Egyptian’s scoring dipped, ensuring Liverpool’s front-line lost very little potency.
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20/24 Mohamed Salah – 8/10
It was always going to be difficult to match last year, but Salah came close. 26 goals and 13 assists in all competitions is a brilliant return.
AFP/Getty
21/24 Roberto Firmino – 8/10
Another who did not always reach the heights of last year but still the finest practitioner of the ‘false nine’ role in the Premier League.
Reuters
22/24 Divock Origi – 8/10
Only played 21 times, only scored seven times but made an impact that will save his Anfield career. Goals against Everton, Barcelona and Newcastle were all huge.
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23/24 Daniel Sturridge – 6/10
On his way out this summer, and performances later in the season showed why, but enjoyed a excellent September and scored that brilliant, late equaliser at Chelsea.
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24/24 Jurgen Klopp – 9/10
Made the most of the resources at his disposal, recorded a huge points total, yet fell just short of the title.
Getty
1/24 Liverpool 2018-19 player ratings
How did we rate Liverpool’s players and Jurgen Klopp during the 2018-19 campaign?
AFP/Getty Images
2/24 Alisson Becker – 8/10
A few nervous moments here and his cavalier approach tempts fate slightly too often, but the £65m signing from Roma has been a marked upgrade on his predecessors.
Getty
3/24 Simon Mignolet – 6/10
Played just twice, in two domestic cup defeats, but Mignolet has been an exemplary dressing room influence despite a year spent in Alisson’s shadow.
Getty
4/24 Trent Alexander-Arnold – 9/10
His 13 assists from right-back set a new record for a defender in Premier League history. Still just 20-years-old, yet already one of the world’s best in his position.
Getty
5/24 Virgil van Dijk – 9.5/10
The PFA Player of the Year was a deserving winner, having barely had an off day since August. His transformative effect on Liverpool’s defence cannot be underestimated.
Getty
6/24 Joe Gomez – 7/10
Excellent in the first half of the campaign as Van Dijk’s partner in central defence, unfortunate to then break his leg and miss much of the remainder.
Reuters
7/24 Dejan Lovren – 6/10
Never disgraced himself but injury and the form of others have demoted Lovren from Liverpool’s second-choice centre-back to their fourth.
Getty
8/24 Joel Matip – 8/10
Stepped in to partner Van Dijk in the second half of the campaign and defied his critics. His performance in the win over Barcelona was particularly good.
Getty
9/24 Andrew Robertson – 9/10
The best full-back in the Premier League over the last 18 months. His work rate, delivery and sheer tenacity are exceptional.
Getty
10/24 Alberto Moreno – 4/10
Little more than cover for Robertson, he stepped in on occasion without causing chaos. Will leave Anfield when his contract expires this summer.
Getty
11/24 Fabinho – 8/10
Took time to adapt to Klopp’s style and the rigours of English football but now appears right at home. His snarling display against Barcelona was a highlight.
Getty
12/24 Naby Keita – 6/10
A qualified disappointment. Not yet lived up to great expectations, but there have been enough moments of promise to suggest he will have a better second season.
Getty
13/24 Jordan Henderson – 8/10
The much-maligned captain has shown why he has the trust of many at Anfield. More effective when he was moved out of holding midfield and further forward during the run-in.
AFP/Getty
14/24 James Milner – 7/10
33-years-old, yet shows few signs of fading out. A player for the big moments, he was excellent in the victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Getty Images
15/24 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – N/A
Limited to only two appearances due to the serious knee injury which was supposed to prevent him from playing a single minute this season. Will hope to stay fit next year.
Getty
16/24 Georginio Wijnaldum – 8/10
Quietly excellent, keeping Liverpool’s midfield ticking over and winning possession back when required. Chipped in with big goals against Cardiff and Barcelona.
Reuters
17/24 Adam Lallana – 4/10
Most certainly on the fringes now after two seasons without consistent playing time. Impressed in some cameos, not in others.
Getty
18/24 Xherdan Shaqiri – 6/10
Appeared to be an ideal impact substitute in the first half of the campaign, but his form tailed off and then so did the first-team opportunities. Origi now seems to be preferred.
Getty
19/24 Sadio Mané – 9/10
The finest season of career to date. Stepped into Salah’s shoes when the Egyptian’s scoring dipped, ensuring Liverpool’s front-line lost very little potency.
Getty
20/24 Mohamed Salah – 8/10
It was always going to be difficult to match last year, but Salah came close. 26 goals and 13 assists in all competitions is a brilliant return.
AFP/Getty
21/24 Roberto Firmino – 8/10
Another who did not always reach the heights of last year but still the finest practitioner of the ‘false nine’ role in the Premier League.
Reuters
22/24 Divock Origi – 8/10
Only played 21 times, only scored seven times but made an impact that will save his Anfield career. Goals against Everton, Barcelona and Newcastle were all huge.
Getty
23/24 Daniel Sturridge – 6/10
On his way out this summer, and performances later in the season showed why, but enjoyed a excellent September and scored that brilliant, late equaliser at Chelsea.
Getty
24/24 Jurgen Klopp – 9/10
Made the most of the resources at his disposal, recorded a huge points total, yet fell just short of the title.
Getty
“In different times, for different reasons my teams were good as well. I am not so surprised because our boys mix our potential with attitude in the best way I have witnessed. That is brilliant, exceptional, and it brought us where we are.
Liverpool will play in their second successive Champions League final thanks to completing a remarkable comeback against Barcelona, beating Ernesto Valverde’s side 4-3 on aggregate despite losing the first leg 3-0 at the Nou Camp.
“These boys did it for the chance of being there, gave us a lot, showed us a lot and in the five or six days between Barcelona and Barcelona, I would say nobody believed more than in this team than the team themselves. That is why we are here. It is a sensational situation.”
Klopp admitted that the 2018 defeat in Kiev affected his players, but a year on, he described it as the “kick start” which his players required to improve, post a record points total in the Premier League and return to the same European stage again.
“It had a big influence on us. I remember that situation. When we stand in the queue in the airport in Kiev, all in tracksuits, hands down. It was a lot of different emotions,” the Liverpool manager remembered.
“But the plan was, we come again, we will be there again and now we are there, that is just incredible. I think pretty much each team that loses the final thinks we will put it right. They don’t all have the chance.
1/14 Liverpool’s route to the Champions League final
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2/14 W 3-2, Paris Saint-Germain (H)
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3/14 L 0-1, Napoli (A)
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4/14 W 4-0, Red Star Belgrade (H)
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5/14 L 0-2, Red Star Belgrade (A)
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6/14 L 1-2, Paris Saint-Germain (A)
AFP/Getty Images
7/14 W 1-0, Napoli (H)
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8/14 D 0-0, Bayern Munich (H)
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9/14 W 3-1, Bayern Munich (A)
Liverpool FC via Getty Images
10/14 W 2-0, Porto (H)
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11/14 W 4-1, Porto (A)
AFP/Getty Images
12/14 L 0-3, Barcelona (A)
AFP/Getty Images
13/14 W 4-0, Barcelona (H)
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14/14 Final vs Tottenham Hotspur
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1/14 Liverpool’s route to the Champions League final
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2/14 W 3-2, Paris Saint-Germain (H)
Getty Images
3/14 L 0-1, Napoli (A)
Getty Images
4/14 W 4-0, Red Star Belgrade (H)
Liverpool FC via Getty Images
5/14 L 0-2, Red Star Belgrade (A)
Getty Images
6/14 L 1-2, Paris Saint-Germain (A)
AFP/Getty Images
7/14 W 1-0, Napoli (H)
Getty Images
8/14 D 0-0, Bayern Munich (H)
Getty Images
9/14 W 3-1, Bayern Munich (A)
Liverpool FC via Getty Images
10/14 W 2-0, Porto (H)
Getty Images
11/14 W 4-1, Porto (A)
AFP/Getty Images
12/14 L 0-3, Barcelona (A)
AFP/Getty Images
13/14 W 4-0, Barcelona (H)
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14/14 Final vs Tottenham Hotspur
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“It was the kick start for the development of this team, 100 percent. This team is not even to compare with the team of last year. It is good.”
Klopp’s only injury concern for Saturday’s final is midfielder Naby Keita, who will play no part having failed to recover from a thigh injury suffered in the defeat at the Nou Camp.
Roberto Firmino has not played since that night either, having aggravated a groin problem, but the Brazilian returned to training last week and Klopp expects him to be available on Saturday.
“Bobby was part of training last week, and will be in training from tomorrow,” Klopp said. “All we saw so far looked really good, everything looked fine. He will be fine, I am pretty sure.”
