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Jurgen Klopp reveals he only watched last season’s Champions League final loss to Real Madrid last weekend, admits it was ‘TORTURE’, as Liverpool look to avenge Paris defeat in their round of 16 clash at Anfield.
- Jurgen Klopp revealed the pain of watching Liverpool lose in the Champions League final
- The Reds lost 1-0 in Paris and Klopp admits it was “torture” to see them behind
- Liverpool will face Madrid at Anfield this Tuesday for the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he watched last year’s Champions League final loss to Real Madrid for the first time this weekend, calling the loss “proper torture”.
The Reds host the 14-time Champions League winners at Anfield on Tuesday night in the round of 16, looking for revenge after Vinicius Jr’s winner was enough to secure the trophy once again for the giants. Spanish people.
In a game that was marred by chaos before kick-off in Paris with tear gas being thrown at fans and tickets not accepted, things did not go as Liverpool struggled to overcome a team organized under Carlo Ancelotti.
Klopp spoke openly about the game ahead of their next clash against Madrid, saying the game was so painful that he only watched it recently as he was looking for answers for their loss, and how he can hurt them this time.
‘I never saw him again [until] this weekend’, he said in his pre-match press conference. ‘And I realized why right away. It was suitable torture because we played a good game and we could have won it.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted last year’s Champions League final loss to Real Madrid was “torture”
The German coach said he had only rewatched the game this weekend after the agony of losing the crucial game last summer.
You could see the experience that Madrid has, they don’t lose confidence. They are there for the chances and defend in depth.
That was seven or eight months ago. The last time we played them [before that] I was at their training ground and then an empty stadium here [during Covid]. That was a very good 0-0. We made them work hard.
‘These are the same clubs, different teams, different times. There is a story and in recent years one of us was always in a final. If you want to go to the final you have to kick us or them. Let’s see who passes.
Klopp says he is most frustrated by how few risks Liverpool took when they tried to stop Madrid in their tracks and limit their counter-attacking threat.
‘What stopped us was the fact that it was a final, we didn’t take enough risks. We were protectors against counterattacks. analyzing [the game] It’s super easy but they were feelings of [if we had] an extra spark, we could have done this [work].
Liverpool couldn’t find a way to get past Madrid and tried to get past them in the round of 16.
We cannot play against them without respect, they have world class players and it is a well organized team. That’s why it’s so difficult, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. We tried it in a final, but in the previous rounds it looked like the game was over and it wasn’t.
It is its quality. Some of his players have won it five times. They probably think they own the competition, but we still tried.
Klopp is pleased that his team have turned around in the midst of their turbulent campaign after two wins in a row, saying it has come at the perfect time, but stressed that his team had to play their best game to win, while Madrid he could play poorly and still win.
“I’m happy we can play now, four weeks ago it would have been different, but it’s about time,” he added. ‘I would have expected us to go ourselves anyway because it’s a different competition.
“Hopefully we can build on the results, but we need to play a great game to get through.” If you don’t play to the best of your ability, you don’t stand a chance. Madrid don’t have to play their best and still have a chance. That is the difference.’