Mood music sounds good in Madrid for Klopp & Liverpool

Macdara Ferris reports from the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid

There is nothing quite like that bright Jurgen Klopp smile and is was certainly on show when he spoke with the media ahead of Saturday night's Champions League Final.

It was a very relaxed Klopp who was in a happy mood and was keen to stress that last year’s defeat in the final to Real Madrid in Kiev will not have a negative affect on the outcome against Spurs.

Indeed he was taking the positives from that experience, noting that it was a stepping stone for their strong showing in the league this season.

“This year we learnt a lot again,” said the 51-year-old German. “We are a completely different side to last year. So the final (in 2018) was not so important for our improvement, but the final was like a starting point again for the next steps.

"That’s how we saw it, that’s how we wanted to use it and that’s what we did.”

Building on making it to the blue riband event of European football last year, the Reds – with some crucial close season acquisitions (particularly in goal) – pushed Manchester City all the way to the last day only to lose out on the Premier League title by the tightest of margins.

Should Liverpool secure their sixth European Cup crown, you suspect that the recent domestic league title defeat will recede quickly in the memory.

His side’s experience in challenging for the title and making to last year’s final will be brought to bare against a Spurs side that just don’t have the pedigree of European success – either historically or in recent years – as the Reds.

“We are much more mature, we are a different side, we are older. Age is a good thing, getting older, from all points of view actually. We are a year older, a player like Trent [Alexander-Arnold] has around 50 more games in his legs with more experience in football. 



“Last year we were surprised by ourselves, about ourselves a little bit, that we were in the final. There are so many good teams and we had to play the qualifiers and you go through, yes, with brilliant games.”

Klopp’s record in finals has been much discussed with no wins in the last six he has got his teams to. Will his luck change tomorrow? He reckons it is time for him to get the rub of the green, especially now that he has settled in with the Reds.

“I think I’ve had a lucky career. I’m lucky to be sat here, to be honest. And on the other hand, yes, it’s a big club, it’s a wonderful club and it’s a while ago when we fell in love with each other and that’s how it is now. 

“Now we’ve been working together for a while already and we’ll work together for a couple of more years and everything is fine - we’re sitting here before a Champions League final, which is the biggest game in world football for clubs, as far as I’m concerned.

"I’m in good shape and in a good mood.” 

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile