Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has almost given up on the race for a Champions League spot, insisting the Reds will make the Europa League ‘our competition’ next season.
Klopp’s side have spent most of this campaign between sixth and 10th in the Premier League table, but Manchester United’s faltering run of seven consecutive wins from mid-April to mid-May has put Liverpool back in contention for the top spot. Was. Four over.
Those late hopes finally seemed dashed on Saturday when the Reds were held to a point by Aston Villa, salvaged a draw with a late Roberto Firmino equalizer in their final Anfield game, and United managed to win at Bournemouth. are. United and Newcastle now only need one more point from their final two games to make it mathematically impossible liverpool,
“we will make [the Europa League] Our competition,” Klopp told bbc sport,
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“I’m not that bad. With all these teams around us we’ve already qualified for the Europa League. It’s really tough and we did it, it’s good.”
“For so long we didn’t even hear the Champions League, we were so far away. The Europa League is perfectly fine. Let’s see what we can do.”
Liverpool were assured of at least a Europa League place next season following a recent win over Leicester earlier this month. It is the only trophy the club has not won during Klopp’s reign in the last eight years following successes in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Community Shield.
liverpool hasn’t won Europa League But before the reintroduction of the competition in 2009, there were three UEFA Cup winners. Their overall record is great as only Sevilla (6) have ever lifted the trophy more times than all three of them.
Liverpool won their first UEFA Cup in 1973, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 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, this was oddly also a future European Cup final, played in 1978.
When Gérard Houllier’s Liverpool entered the UEFA Cup in 2001, he completed a cup treble that season after winning the League Cup and FA Cup at home. The final was against Alves and turned into a surprising nine-goal thriller, which 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 held jointly by Italian giants Juventus (1977, 1990, 1993) and Inter (1991, 1994, 1998). Atlético Madrid also now have three wins, all since 2010, while all six of Sevilla’s have come since 2006.
Liverpool have played in one Europa League final during Jurgen Klopp’s reign, reaching there only seven months after being appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor. Sevilla were the opposition in 2016 and the Reds actually took the lead through Daniel Sturridge before Kevin Gameiro and Koke earned the Spanish side a 3–1 win and got their hands on their fifth title.
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