We lost faith in our game and ourselves after that equaliser, admits Klopp
KEIR RADNEDGE in BASEL: Jurgen Klopp conceded that Liverpool’s game fell apart in the first minute of the second half of the Europa League Final by an equaliser which set up Sevilla to go on to win 3-1 at the St Jakob-Park.
The Spanish club levelled within 18 seconds of the restart through Kevin Gameiro to puncture Liverpool’s frail balloon.
Klopp, having lost his fifth final in succession and second in three months with Liverpool, said: “In this moment we lost faith in our style of play. We changed from passing simply to playing slow and complicated. Our formation was not so compact any more.
“We have had this problem one or two times. We deserved the 1-0 lead but then Sevilla played a lot of long balls to avoid our pressing game.”
Klopp made no direct comment about the handball decisions though he said the players had his staff had complained to him about them.
He said only: “There were four decisive decisions and all against us. In a final, when it’s close, you need a bit of luck and we didn’t have any.”
Liverpool’s luck was furthest out on Sevilla’s third goal from Coke when the referee overruled the linesman’s flag.
Klopp said: “It’s not a situation I have seen many times, for a referee to overrule the assistant. If it was a correct decision I dont know. I do know I have lost some finals and never had a bad decision made in my favour. I would hope for that to change but it didn’t this time.
“We are disappointed 100pc but in a week we will see more it more clearly and we will use this experience. We are not in an international tournament next season so we will not have a lot games on Thursday and we will use that time for training.
“On the way to the final we had a few moments where we over-performed and the boys showed what they are capable of but to show this consistently you need more time. They are young and it was a first big final and some day people will look back and say this was a decisive moment for the future of Liverpool FC.”
Finally, Klopp turned philosopher, saying: “There are more things in life than football. I’ve had a lot of luck in my life and, to sit here as manager of Liverpool, I don’t think life was unfair to me.
“This time it was not too lucky but I will carry on. I will try to reach the next final even though I know I can lose it. There are bigger problems in life . . . but, right at this moment, it doesn’t feel like it.”
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