Klopp says watching last year’s CL final back a form of ‘torture’

London, Feb 20 (EFE).- Liverpool’s head coach Jürgen Klopp on Monday said that watching the footage of his team’s defeat to Real Madrid in last year’s Champions League final was “torture” and that the Reds have to play their best football to stand a chance against the Spanish giants.

“If you don’t play your best, you don’t have a chance,” the German manager said ahead of the first leg of the Champions League round-of-16 on Tuesday evening. “Real Madrid doesn’t have to play their best and still have a chance.”

The two teams have met on a number of crucial Champions League occasions in the past, including the 2022 and 2017 finals, both won by the Spanish club.

Klopp said he had not rewatched last year’s final in Saint Denis until he began preparing for Tuesday’s match.

“Now I know why I didn’t watch it back. But I had to, it was a proper torture because we played a good game, and we could have won the game, but we didn’t, because they scored a decisive goal and we didn’t,” he added.

Mohamed Salah and company will welcome the likes of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior to Anfield for a 8pm local time kick off Tuesday. EFE

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