Football

No Real Madrid revenge mission for Klopp

Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp watches the players warm up for the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 27, 2020. (Photo by STU FORSTER / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /


Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he will not be thinking about revenge when the Reds face Real Madrid in the quarter final of the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool are in Spain for the first leg of their quarter final tie against Los Blancos on Tuesday night.
Tuesday’s showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu will be the first since the sides met in an eventful 2018 final, which Madrid won 3-1 to lift the trophy for a third season running.
And with nearly three years having past since Gareth Bale scored twice to down Liverpool, Klopp says both he and his squad have drawn a line under the defeat.
“We are not on a revenge tour here. Life is like this. I don’t believe too much in revenge, but it would be nice to get through,” he said at Monday’s pre-match news conference.
“We feel in a good moment in the Premier League. Now we hope to keep that momentum. That would be very helpful.
“Our motivation is at the highest level because it is the Champions League and we want to go to the next round, it has nothing to do with 2018.
“But when we got the draw, because it is the first time that we played them since then, I remembered the game.”
One of the big talking points in that game was Sergio Ramos’ early challenge on Mohamed Salah that forced the Egypt forward off injured.
Klopp added: “I said it after that game if someone asked me in a press conference maybe a month later if I would invite Sergio Ramos to my 60th birthday party I would say no.
“Now, I would think about it. It’s not because he’s a great footballer but I said I didn’t like what happened that night, for us it was a strange night.
“It was long ago and so I can’t get that feeling of anger back so I don’t even try. What I try is to prepare my team for tomorrow to show how good we are as a football team.”
“It will take a lot to beat Madrid. They are the team with the most titles in this competition, so they are used to the knockout stages and we are going to need to be at our best.”
Liverpool have lost each of their last three games against Madrid in the Champions League – only against Benfica between 1984 and 2010 have they lost four in a row against an opponent across all European competitions.


Sammy Wejinya

Recent Posts

Marathon magic in New York and Soweto

Competitive racing was the order of the day at the TCS New York City Marathon…

1 day ago

Mainz 05 Inspires Youth at Totalsport Safe-Hub in Alexandra

A coaching team from Bundesliga club 1.FSV Mainz 05 visited Totalsport Safe-Hub in Alexandra for…

6 days ago

Spotlight on African basketball talent and milestones as NBA’s 2024/25 season takes off

An NBA season packed with African talent and colourful courts is underway, with games available…

1 week ago

Tsitsikamma and Trail Running – setting the gold standard for inclusive conservation

Victor Mokoena and his team in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park…

2 weeks ago

Xaba and Tola re-write the record books at Sanlam’s Cape Town Marathon

Rising Ethiopian marathon star, Abdisa Tola, and South Africa’s running great, Glenrose ‘Supercharger’ Xaba, created…

3 weeks ago

Collin and Tayla shine on Day One of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon weekend

Zimbabwean Collin Kanyimo and British athlete Catherine Williamson took the trail honours in the 44km…

3 weeks ago