Jurgen Klopp says there’s something that makes a ‘massive difference’ at Liverpool compared to their 2018 Champions League final defeat. The Reds will meet Real Madrid again.
It’s impossible not to draw comparisons between Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final and 2018’s. It’s Liverpool vs Real Madrid, after all – a rematch that sees the Reds out for revenge.
At least, that’s Mohamed Salah’s take. The Egyptian was very open about wanting to play Real again and make up for 2018. Jurgen Klopp, however, doesn’t like that rhetoric. He just wants to win.
But that doesn’t mean the boss isn’t ready to compare the two finals. For instance, Klopp sees one ‘massive difference’ at Liverpool when compared to the 2018 defeat.
“It is a massive difference that we won it already,” said Klopp, per Liverpoolfc.com. “But we face a team who won it – the majority of this team – probably three times.
“Toni Kroos, I think, won it three times already; probably Luka Modric as well; Casemiro as well; Benzema for sure. So, if we are now in a better place, then what are they then?
“It is a massive advantage then, they won it already three times. It doesn’t mean they will be a bit softer, I couldn’t see that in the semi-final, quarter-final or last 16.
“Their desire is on a maximum level from their side and will be on a maximum level from our side, but it feels better to know you have won it already than to know you never won it before.”
Liverpool are better than the 2018 final
There is no question that this is a better Liverpool team than in 2018. They have better players, for one, but as Klopp says, they’re more experienced.
This is now a team that don’t enter the game as pure underdogs. They’re now English, European and World champions – there’s a completely different confidence at Liverpool.
That really could make all the difference in this one. Liverpool aren’t just a brilliantly-functioning team but one that has the know-how and experience to win the biggest trophies. They certainly won’t feel overawed by Real and we expect the Reds to take the game to them.