Zimpapers Logo

Jurgen Klopp has warned Real Madrid that Liverpool are playing for their dreams and their chances of winning the Champions League won’t be compromised by a lack of experience.

The build-up to Saturday’s Champions League final has started in earnest and Liverpool began the week by hosting their scheduled media day. They trained for an hour at Anfield yesterday and the group was bolstered by the presence of Emre Can.

It had been assumed that Can would not be available for the showdown in Kiev, due to a persistent back problem, but he was able to come through the session without issue.

Klopp revealed he could be included in the squad on Saturday but would not comment on reports the Germany international has agreed to join Juventus when his contract expires. The manager has no interest for the moment in potential comings and goings as he concentrates on toppling Madrid.

Liverpool will be underdogs against a team who have won three of the last four finals, including back-to-back victories against Atletico Madrid and Juventus, but there is no shortage of belief and nobody embodies the anticipation more than the manager.

‘I don’t want to play that game,’ said Klopp, when asked if Real are favourites. ‘They are more experienced. That is a fact. If there is an experienced market, they should sell it because then they would be even more rich. Experience is very important in life but not the only thing.

‘It is an important to be more experienced but you can level it with desire, attitude, work rate and that is what I love in football. We made our own experience. We are not as long together as Real Madrid because they play these finals pretty much with the same team so as a group they are very strong.

‘That is all fact but it is still football and we have a chance and let’s give it a try. Let’s go there and try to perform on a level which maybe people would say it is not possible for us but it is possible.

‘We did all the things we need plenty of times already in the Champions League campaign and now we need to do it again. I saw the game against Villarreal and it looks like they can do whatever they want against a good side like Villarreal. Still no one knows if (Karim) Benzema will start or (Lucas) Vazquez.

“It is a really good football team but we are a really good football team. We are full of desire and we really work for our dreams. We hope we can show that and if we can show that, that is all.”

On whether Can will be available on Saturday, Klopp said:

“I didn’t think it was possible that he could do what he did today and do what he did in Marbella. That is really positive but we have to wait again. It is really nice to have him back in the group. He is really desperate.’

Klopp is not doing anything different in preparation for the game. Liverpool will train at Melwood for the next few days before heading out to Ukraine on Friday, a routine they have followed all the way through their Champions League campaign.

There will also be no alteration in how Liverpool go about the game and that means Klopp is committed to attacking Madrid. He has urged his players to be free of expectation to make themselves heroes.

“We had a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations in the last few weeks,” said Klopp. “Each game we drew we wanted to win. West Brom? I said all that rubbish after only because I was really angry we didn’t win.

“I am not a psychologist but if somebody would tell me constantly that everything is different in the next game then I would get nervous.

“We have to handle it like an opportunity because it is an opportunity. You cannot go into a football game knowing you can lose it.

“I experienced that plenty of times but I am still a happy person. Life goes on. We will show the players why it makes so much sense to be brave.

“It was not easy to be brave against Manchester City and against Roma but we did it. The moment we tried to defend the result we were almost out.

“I am in a good mood. I am really looking forward to the game. Unlike the Brighton one, I would buy a 1-0. This game I really want to play.” — SportsMail