The trip is over, but what a trip. Liverpool will say goodbye with all honors to Jürgen Klopp next Sunday at Anfield, but this was his last previous appearance. At the press conference, ahead of his last match as a Reds coach, the German talked about everything: his more than nine years at Liverpool with the best moments he had at the club, the farewells of Thiago Alcántara and Joel Matip, the vote for eliminate VAR in the Premier League and the future. “It was the opposite of wasting time, we simply tried to make the most of it and enjoy as much as possible. I will not forget a single day of that time (at Liverpool), I met the best people I have ever met, and I did it for the best club,” declared Jürgen Klopp.
Farewell: “This week has been the most intense of my life, I have said goodbye so many times this week. So many people and great moments already, so don’t pretend it’s a normal week because it isn’t. I am a very pragmatic person. This is the last game of the season and then it’s vacation. As usual. Yesterday, the players said goodbye. Yesterday we had a barbecue here with the players. The day before with the staff at Chapel St. It’s a lot, and I had very emotional moments, of course. I don’t know how many t-shirts I’ve signed! It’s all part of this. Saying goodbye is never pleasant, but saying goodbye without feeling sad or hurt, that would mean that the time was not good. The weather was great. It will be hard”.
Pep Lijnders, new coach of RB Salzburg: “He is a fantastic coach, one of the most influential I have had. We created a style of play that I love. Talented, full of energy. I will follow each of his steps. A great choice, they are very lucky. We lived together for 8 years and everyone is super grateful. “Everyone will be fine and I will follow them.”
Joel Matip: “They (Joel Matip and Thiago Alcántara) were in my office this week. Have you ever seen a better free signing than Joel Matip? Ridiculously funny and a wonderful man. He has to make a decision if he wants to continue playing. Whoever takes him will be a lucky club, because he is a world-class player and very humble.”
Thiago Alcántara: “He is a world-class player. In a parallel world, I would love to see his career without injuries, he can do things that I didn’t think were possible. One of the best I’ve seen. He controls everything on the field, but unfortunately his body did not accompany him. In a good way, he looked good yesterday. I already thanked them both (Thiago Alcántara and Joel Matip) for everything they did. Everyone was brilliant. “If they hadn’t been, they would have left last year.”
Vote in the Premier League to eliminate VAR: “It is definitely not right how they use it, I would vote against it. These people are not able to use it correctly. The VAR is not the problem, but since you cannot change people, I would vote in favor of eliminating the VAR.”
Farewell match against Wolverhampton: “It is a huge challenge to be there and pretend that it is a normal match, no one will believe it. It is a challenge for different reasons. I have no idea what the team meeting will be like. The documentary people asked if they could record, and I said no! Someone fired up has to do the team talk, can I? Maybe so, but I don’t know at the moment. I hope we can all put on a great performance. It’s much easier to celebrate after the game if you’ve seen a good game. Having an atmosphere at the game would be great. Wolves are the most unlucky team I have seen with VAR decisions. We had a few, but they are the champions of that. “They want to finish well.”
Titles achieved with Liverpool: “It was my favorite final (the Carabao Cup 20224) of all the ones we have played in. We know how people view the Carabao Cup, but at the time it seemed absolutely exceptional to me. He showed everything this club means. Our people can create special moments. That night we all created something really special. From the club’s point of view, it was the best night of our lives. I loved. I loved seeing the boys’ eyes. And the others, Virgil (van Dijk), his first trophy as captain. A fantastic night, I will never forget it. I’m absolutely fine (with what I’ve achieved). I know we could have won more, but I can’t change it. We also could have earned less. Not being champion by one point is not a great experience, but it is an experience. I couldn’t have done anything differently in those moments. When we didn’t score against Manchester City when the ball wasn’t on the line, and then (Kun) Aguero scores at Burnley when he’s right on the line… That’s not my fault. We could have won more Champions Leagues. Being in three finals is an extraordinary achievement. There are many chances of losing the final, that’s the way it is. Real Madrid always finds a way to win it. We try again. I wouldn’t be happy if I thought I could have done more. I couldn’t have done more. Could anyone else have done it better? Possibly. But I don’t, and that’s fine with me. People will judge it and the majority think it’s good.”
Highlights of his time at the club: “The football we played against Manchester City this year was the best we played. We never control them like that day. That day we played better. We won before, but they were different games. Controlling a game like that… They were my favorite 60 minutes. The most spectacular victory, Barcelona. Best goal, Alisson Becker (against West Bromwich). Best assist, Trent Alexander-Arnold (against Barcelona). The best save, Alisson Becker against Naples. “The best backheel goal, Sadio Mané.”
His life in Liverpool: “Super influential. It’s been almost a decade of my life. How difficult it will be to say goodbye. I loved everything about this place. I take away memories, fantastic memories. Friendships forever. When time slips through your fingers, you only realize it later. I don’t think it was a quick nine years. We take advantage of absolutely everything, we try to get the best of everything and enjoy it to the fullest. I really think it was the opposite of a waste of time, we just tried to make the most of it and enjoy as much as possible. I will not forget a single day of that time because I met the best people I have ever met and the best club I could have imagined in a wonderful and very special city. Nowadays nothing is perfect, but most people in this city are perfect to the max. By how they receive you, by how they treat you. It’s wonderful to know that I have spent a large part of my life here. I have the keys to the city and for me it is like a responsibility. I don’t think the club needs me in the future, but if the city needs me, I will be there. I want to be useful in anything.
Photo session alone at Anfield: “I love that Anfield is packed, when it’s full. This is how it was created. I hope it’s not a photo of my stay in Liverpool, just in the stadium. They asked me to do it, but it felt strange. I’ll never do it again. I wasn’t alone, there were many cameras around. Anfield is a very, very special place. Because of the people, they make it exceptional.”
Relationship with fans: “I can’t. I try to explain why people like me so much, but I don’t quite understand it. We have never disappointed them. The club is special, it means the world to so many people… Emails, letters, and if I answer them all I will be here until 2028. I apologize. I couldn’t get tickets for the last game, there were many requests. On LFC TV he made me read letters yesterday and with one I burst into tears. Football changes lives and I know, we did it. The experience is there to learn from it. Keep doing it for the next coach and you’ll feel the same. We have some very special followers. The last nine years have meant a lot to them. I’m happy for that. I had a good relationship in Mainz with the people. For them it was the hardest, because they saw me play for 11 years! In Dortmund we also created a very special bond. We never planned it, but I really like it. It makes football very enjoyable, because people love it, we play in fantastic stadiums, we win a lot of money. We have to live it together. I have never understood it, but we are the ambassadors of the people. We have to fulfill your dreams. So I understand that people love that era, but I never expected it to happen, because you never know how people will take it. Our thoughts fit like a glove with the people.”
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2024-05-17 11:28:55
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