Klopp calls for '100 per cent' against Chelsea
Jürgen Klopp knows Liverpool are not yet up to full speed as they prepare for the new season - but the boss still wants to see his team give '100 per cent' against Chelsea.
The Reds take on Antonio Conte’s side in the first friendly fixture of their American tour in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
Klopp has overseen an intense week of training at Liverpool’s Stanford University base as the manager looks to gear his squad up for the Premier League campaign, with the opening-weekend trip to Arsenal now just two-and-a-half weeks away.
And while not expecting the Reds to be at their best at the Rose Bowl, the German expects his players to take the International Champions Cup clash with Chelsea seriously.
“Pre-season is always the best opponent you can get in the wrong moment,” Klopp explained to Liverpoolfc.com.
“If it was another moment, you could rest before, you could do something else, but we have trained a 95-minute session [on Tuesday] and it was quite warm outside - but we had to do it, it was important.
“Now we play Chelsea and I don’t know exactly what level they are at [and] we meet each other again in a few weeks.
“It’s not the most important game in the world, but we have to learn and use all we have in terms of knowledge, rhythm, fitness and put it in a game because if you wait for the perfect day [for a match], you’ll wait until you’re old and grey! There’s always an issue here, an issue there - it’s never perfect.
“It’s clear we cannot be at 100 per cent, but I’m not interested - I want to see the 100 per cent that is possible on this day.”
Following the meeting with Chelsea, Liverpool face AC Milan in San Francisco and Roma in St. Louis before returning to the UK to round off their ICC commitments against Barcelona at Wembley - and Klopp is determined for the Reds to head into the Premier League season on a high.
“Against Chelsea it will be quite tough I’m sure because maybe they have something similar - with a new manager,” he continued.
“It’s a tournament, and if there’s something to win we want to try and win it. We have three games [in the ICC], so all good and let’s see what we can bring on the pitch.”
Our full interview with the boss will be available on LFCTV GO from 5.45pm BST on Thursday, and you can watch all the action from Liverpool v Chelsea on LFCTV and LFCTV GO.
Our coverage from the Rose Bowl begins at 3.30am BST on Thursday (with kick-off at 4.35am). Click here for details on how to sign up.