Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp has all however conceded defeat in the race for a Champions League place and insists the Reds will make the Europa League ‘our competitors’ next season.
Klopp’s staff have spent most of this marketing campaign between sixth and tenth in the Premier League desk, however a run of seven consecutive wins from mid-April to mid-May, mixed with Manchester United’s wobble above them, had put Liverpool into rivalry for a high 4 end.
Those late hopes gave the impression to be lastly dashed on Saturday when the Reds have been held to a degree by Aston Villa, rescuing a draw with a late Roberto Firmino equaliser in his ultimate Anfield sport, and United managed to safe a win away at Bournemouth. United and Newcastle now every solely want yet another level from their ultimate two video games to make it mathematically unattainable for Liverpool.
“We will make [the Europa League] our competition,” Klopp instructed BBC Sport.
Read the most recent Liverpool information right here
“I am not that spoilt. That we are already qualified for the Europa League is incredible with all these teams around us. That’s really difficult and we did it, that is good.
“For so lengthy we could not even hear the sound of the Champions League, that is how distant we have been. The Europe League is totally high-quality. Let’s see what we are able to do.”
Liverpool were already assured of a minimum of Europa League place next season following the recent win over Leicester earlier this month. It is the only trophy that the club hasn’t won during Klopp’s reign after Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Community Shield successes in the last eight years.
Liverpool haven’t won the Europa League in its current guise but were three-time winners of the UEFA Cup before the competition was rebranded in 2009. Their overall record is very good as only Sevilla (6) have ever lifted the trophy more often than their three.
Liverpool won their first UEFA Cup in 1973, beating Borussia Monchengladbach over two legs in the final – the same clubs would meet again in the European Cup final only four years later. The Reds also won the UEFA Cup in 1976, defeating Club Brugge – again, it was bizarrely a future European Cup final too, played in 1978.
When Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool landed the UEFA Cup in 2001, it completed a cup treble that season after already winning the League Cup and FA Cup domestically. The final was against Alaves and turned into a stunning nine-goal thriller that was won 5-4 by a late extra-time own goal.
As Liverpool’s third UEFA Cup win, it also tied the then competition record jointly held by Italian giants Juventus (1977, 1990, 1993) and Inter (1991, 1994, 1998). Atletico Madrid have also now racked up three wins, all since 2010, while all six of Sevilla’s have come since 2006.
Liverpool have played in a Europa League final during Jurgen Klopp’s reign, getting there only seven months after he was appointed as successor to Brendan Rodgers. Sevilla were the opposition in 2016 and the Reds actually took the lead through Daniel Sturridge, before Kevin Gameiro and Coke turned it round for the Spanish side to prevail 3-1 and get their hands on their fifth title.
LISTEN NOW
On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey to discuss all the latest transfer news. On the agenda: Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard, Ivan Toney, Ruben Loftus-Cheek & more!
If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
Discussion about this post