Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is remaining optimistic despite missing out on securing a place in next season’s Champions League.
After beating Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday, Manchester United will join champions Manchester City, Arsenal, and Newcastle in Europe’s top club competition next season.
After United’s win sent Liverpool to the Europa League, forward Mohamed Salah wrote on social media that he was “devastated” and there was no reason for not making the top four.
Klopp said at a press conference on Friday that he expected United and Newcastle to get the points they needed this week after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Klopp’s team is guaranteed to finish fifth.
It means that Liverpool, who almost won a historic quadruple last year but didn’t quite make it, won’t be in the competition this year after being in it for six straight years.
“For a long time it was clear this will not be a historically good season,” said Klopp.
“I think I said everything about it, that we are absolutely not happy with it, that we made mistakes, that we couldn’t deliver, ultimately we weren’t consistent enough.”
But he said that Liverpool’s play in the second half of the season, when they won seven straight league games, was impressive.
“If we could have done that over the whole season we would be in a different place,” said the German.
“Of course there are reasons for optimistic views because of the things we showed in the last few weeks. That’s definitely the case.
“We have other reasons for an optimistic view because of the atmosphere our people created in the last home game…. All these kinds of things are absolutely the basis for a fantastic future so we don’t have to make it bigger than it is. It’s a football season.
“We didn’t deliver what everybody wanted and everybody expected, rightly so, but we are still really united and that’s the good thing about it.”
Klopp said he knew Liverpool’s finances would take a hit because they didn’t make the Champions League, but he was still looking forward to next season.
“From a financial point of view that’s the only problem really,” he said. “That’s a big problem in football, I know that. But besides that we have European nights next year.
“Instead of Tuesday, Wednesday, it’s a Thursday. Who cares? Great games, atmosphere, we have the chance to do it all.
“The FA Cup will happen again, the League Cup will happen again, so great, we have the chance to do that. Obviously the Premier League is there as well so let’s give it a go.
“When everything goes in the right direction it’s always easy to feel this togetherness. If it’s not going in the right direction it’s much more challenging. I didn’t want to prove that point but we did and for me that’s the trophy we won this year.”
Photo by EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
