Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp spoke this Wednesday at the English team’s ‘media day’ ahead of the Champions League final that will be played on Saturday in Paris against Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid. The German coach pointed out precisely his Italian colleague as “a role model for his way of facing success” four days before facing each other on the pitch of the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis.
“Carlo is one of the most successful coaches in the world and a role model for his approach to success. He is one of the best people you can meet, a really nice guy,” Klopp explained. “The respect for him could not be greater.
You will never stop winning. But that doesn’t mean anything for this match,” he added.
Both teams already faced each other in the 2018 Champions League final and the madridistas managed to win the coveted title. “I don’t believe in revenge. You always meet twice in life. Everything is fine between Real Madrid and me. It is a football match of the highest level,” admitted Klopp.
Liverpool lost 3-1 to Madrid in kyiv in 2018, weighed down by German goalkeeper Loris Karius and his nightmarish performance. But Klopp’s side have achieved a lot since then, including the 2019 Champions League title and a first English championship in 30 years in 2020.
“If we go there like: ‘Revenge! Revenge!’, all that kind of stuff, it doesn’t work like that. We are not like that. We got to the final in a different way. So we have to play our way and that’s what we have to try,” added the German.
Asked about Madrid’s comebacks in continental competition, Klopp highlighted the experience of the Spanish team. “If you take the last 10 minutes of every game you would think you don’t have a chance, but the games were longer than that and they had to come from behind. They are full of experience and they know exactly how to approach a final, we feel it in 2018 », he had an impact on their meeting.
The English team reaches the final after being overtaken by Manchester City in the fight for the Premier League. “No one feels the pain of Sunday anymore. We’re really looking forward to this match against an incredibly strong opponent,” he said. At the moment, Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcántara remains the main doubt, although he could join training this Thursday.
“We are not here by magic. We are in the final because we deserve it. We were in the group of death, as they say. This year we have overcome the tie away from home and then we have brought it to Anfield. That shows that we also have a different way of winning », he expressed.
Regarding the fans following the ‘red’ team in Paris, the coach compared it to the final of the Carabao Cup, which he achieved against Chelsea in the penalty shootout. “I had no idea how much I liked the Carabao Cup final until we played it. I loved every second. In the Champions League final I think the world is white or red, because some of us don’t like us very much, and others don’t like Madrid very much », he clarified.
