Jürgen Klopp was happy as if he had been with FC Liverpool championship and Champions League won in one day, and it was “only” the English League Cup. There is a reason for the great emotionality.
Jürgen Klopp was still clutching the trophy tightly on the flight home at night and simply didn’t want to let it go. The picture of the sleeping coach with the Cup on your lap received more than a hundred thousand on social media overnight “Likes”.
“In more than 20 years, this is by far the most valuable and special trophy I have ever won, absolutely extraordinary”he said Team manager of FC Liverpoolafter his team played in London Wembley-Stadium against FC Chelsea won the English League Cup. The decisive goal for the 1-0 win was headed by Dutchman Virgil van Dijk in the 118th minute.
Klopp: “An evening I will never forget”
These are strong words. Klopp finally had 2019 with the “Reds” the Champions League won and a year later he led the proud club to its first championship since 1990. Even then, he had practically made himself immortal among the club’s fans. And then the joy of winning the League Cup, which is second only to that in England in terms of notoriety and prestige FA Cup stands back and sometimes disrespectful “Mickey Mouse Cup” is called. “It’s an evening I’ll never forget. If no one else sees it, no problem. For me it’s a really nice memory forever.”said the 56-year-old.
You have to know that things are very emotional in Liverpool at the moment when it comes to Jürgen Klopp. He announced at the end of January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the current season after nine years.
Team wants to give more gifts
And his team are clearly determined that Klopp will do so with four titles in hand. The “Reds” are the frontrunners Premier League good chances for the championship and are still in the running in the FA Cup and the Europa League and are also highly valued there. The whole of football England is already discussing how many titles it will win Coach of the Anfield will say goodbye. In other words, Klopp is on a farewell tour and he sees the League Cup victory as the first gift his team gave him.
And it worked hard to achieve this. Against Chelsea FC it was a high-class, turbulent, fast-paced and close final with many good chances for both teams. Klopp had to improvise a lot on the sidelines. So he had to fight them “Blues” Among others, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai are without. After less than half an hour, Ryan Gravenberch had to leave the field with an ankle injury.
Klopp: “All the children”
Klopp therefore sent the two 20-year-olds Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott into the race and later substituted four more youngsters in Bobby Clark (19), James McConnell (19), Jayden Danns (18) and Jarell Quansah (21).
“I’m sure when we brought all the kids into the game people thought, ‘OK, that’s it, they give up, they have a game on Wednesday.’ But that really wasn’t the case.”explained the German Team manager. “We thought we needed fresh legs. And the legs were fresh, but very young. They got the job done”Klopp praised and couldn’t calm down at all: “What happened here is absolute madness. What an academy full of character. It’s unbelievable what happened.”
Personal masterpiece
The victory can be seen as Klopp’s personal masterpiece. “Klopp’s kids against the blue, million-dollar bottle jobs”sneered TV pundit Gary Neville. As Bottlejobs In England, players are often referred to as players who fail under great pressure. “Can you create stories in football that are guaranteed no one will forget? It’s so difficult because it’s all happened before. But tonight, a story where academy players take on a top team and still win, I still have that never heard”Klopp also said.
“It’s a special game. Special games require special performances”Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders had explained before kick-off: “I think people underestimate our squad and the personalities in it. A lot of these guys haven’t won anything with Liverpool, so of course they’re giving everything.”
On Wednesday against Southampton
Despite all his joy, Klopp again criticized the tight schedule. “I love this country to bits, but the game plan isn’t designed to win much”, he said. It continues on Wednesday, when Liverpool welcomes FC Southampton in the round of 16 of the FA Cup. “We don’t have a team for Wednesday at the moment. The guys who came in today might be able to play again.”said Klopp and remained optimistic: “Somehow there will be a team wearing Liverpool shirts against Southampton.”
Klopp does not see his departure as a problem
It’s hard to imagine what will happen in Liverpool if the “Reds” actually win three more titles. Klopp sees this soberly. “I don’t care about my legacy. I’m not here to create one”he said about the tasks that still lie ahead: “As a manager of a football club you are there to do your job.” That’s why it’s not a problem if the coach leaves. “If these people left – our fans – it would be a problem. But as long as they are who they are, Liverpool Football Club will be fine – and that’s the most important thing.”emphasized Klopp.