Playing in the Champions League a must for Liverpool –Klopp

 

Despite the disappointment of Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid, Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp  says the competition is one the Reds cannot afford to participate in.

Klopp who admitted that his side wasted begging chances in their encounter with the Liga giants, said Liverpool must quickly put the disappointment aside and work towards qualifying for the competition next season.

“We have to (bounce back). We love this competition and for different reasons it is very important for the club,” said Klopp.

The English champions are sixth in the Premier League with just seven games to go, three points adrift of the top four place which guarantees a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.

Liverpool have qualified for the Champions League for the last four seasons, twice reaching the final under Klopp.

After also losing 3-1 to Madrid in the 2018 final, the Reds beat Tottenham to lift the trophy in the Spanish capital in 2019.

However, after also ending a 30-year wait to be crowned English champions, Liverpool have suffered a drastic dip in form.

Missing out on Champions League football would not only be a blow to Liverpool’s prestige, but also have financial ramifications for Klopp’s ability to revamp his squad in the summer transfer market.

“It doesn’t make it now easier, these two or three games would’ve fitted easily in our schedule, but now we can concentrate on the Premier League.

“Monday night, Leeds, is the next challenge. We have to run and work our socks off. That is what we try to prepare now.”

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Liverpool have now won just one of their last eight games at Anfield as a previously impressive home record has crumbled in a season behind closed doors due to coronavirus restrictions.

However, they have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since their opening three matches of the season.