In front of a 75 per cent capacity crowd back at Anfield, the Reds took a first-half lead against their La Liga opponents through Diogo Jota’s smart finish.
A positive opening 45 minutes was marred by an ankle injury to Andy Robertson that requires a scan on Monday, however, and the visitors then claimed a draw courtesy of Alex Berenguer after the break.
But, aside from the concern of Robertson hobbling off, Klopp took plenty of encouragement from the efforts of his team six days before the Premier League campaign begins.
Read his post-match press conference below…
Highlights: The best of the action at Anfield
On Liverpool’s performance, playing in front of fans and it being a ‘good workout’…
Yeah, it was. And you saw how important it is that you have 90 minutes’ football as well during pre-season. That was now probably the most intense session we had so far, you could see it in the face of the players. But I think for 50-55 minutes we saw an absolute top game from my team. I think we were obviously inspired by the crowd. Having 42,000 people back in the stadium, they were obviously really looking forward to seeing us again. And the boys took that and played an outstanding first half – full of power, good football in between the lines, super counter-press, winning balls back, playing forward directly after that. So a lot of good things I saw today. And that’s something obviously you need for a successful season.
In our good spells we should then use that to score more goals, that’s what we didn’t do today, that’s why it was only 1-0. This one goal, I think Bilbao deserved. It was a bit unlucky in that situation, we became a bit passive in this period of the game. It doesn’t make too much sense because if you need a little bit of a break you have to keep the ball; the most economic part of the game is to keep the ball and let them run. But we didn’t do that. That’s a mixture of the rhythm we still have to find obviously. But, again, with big spells of the game, I was more than pleased. It was absolutely great. If Robbo’s injury wouldn’t have happened I would be over the moon about the performance, to be honest. But it’s all a little bit reduced, of course.
On his happiness with the squad and whether he is looking to add to it...
I’m very happy with the squad. That doesn’t mean we don’t look at the market. But as long as nothing happens, I’m more than happy with the squad I have, more than happy with the players I have. We have so many things which you can’t sign: you cannot sign pressing, you cannot sign counter-pressing, you cannot sign atmosphere, you cannot sign togetherness, you can’t sign the atmosphere we can create in the stadium, you can’t sign Anfield, you can’t sign our anthem, you can’t sign a lot of things. And that’s what we have to use obviously. There are different approaches obviously out there and we have no influence on that. Our situation is like it is. We have a big squad and there might still something happen until the end of the transfer window but I can’t say anything about that in the moment.
On the value of the past month of working with the players and instilling the principles that have brought success…
Absolutely. And improving – it’s not only reinforcing the principles, it’s improving. On the basis of good defending, we have to find a way to play proper football, football which gives us results, football which gives us excitement, gives our people excitement, and all this kind of stuff. And that’s what I’m so happy about because you saw the game yourself and I think you thought as well in moments, ‘Wow, that’s really Liverpool how we know them.’ We want not to be only Liverpool how we know them, however long ago that was, we want to be Liverpool 2021-22. Building on the basis we created in the last few years and that’s good. When you don’t have a lot of changes, that’s good. We have new signings, we brought three players we couldn’t use last year for most of the season, we have back in the team. We have obviously a new midfielder in our squad with Harvey Elliott. We have players who can make a big step to fulfil their potential, they are in a good way. That’s how it is. But the situation, I’m completely fine. We all are not blind, we see what other teams are doing. But, again, we don’t have to be better than them, we only have to be able to beat them. That’s what we try to do as often as somehow possible.
On Monday’s match against Osasuna and changing personnel for the game…
Nobody who started today will be involved tomorrow, that’s clear. But there’s still a great team, a lot of people – top, top players. We have only top players involved. It will be a last line – Caoimhin Kelleher will be in the goal and then in front of him will be a really strong defensive line. A very experienced midfield and a very exciting offensive line. So, we actually want to see the same thing we wanted to see today: our football. The way we played today, we want to see tomorrow as well. That should be possible with different players; they have different profiles in some moments but still our football should be possible. It should be very intense. So, the same thing in the same shirt with different players in it.
On Harvey Elliott being used in midfield and if it’s a long-term plan for him…
He can play the position and how you saw then a little bit later when he went up front, Mo went in the centre and Harvey played then the right wing. He smashed the ball on the crossbar in that moment. He can play different positions, there’s absolutely no doubt about it. But in the pre-season we wanted to see him just in a deeper role because for a young player you have to learn a lot of things when you are a bit more outside and you get the ball from time to time. We wanted to have him more involved. And I think he made a big step in this pre-season. If Harvey stays fit then the football world can be really excited about that. I liked his performance today, I liked his performance and attitude during the pre-season. So, good for us, good for him.