Lovren: I'm refreshed and ready for a better season
Back from a refreshing summer holiday, Dejan Lovren is 'ready to start the engine again' as the Liverpool defender plots an improved season under Jürgen Klopp.
The centre-half was one of the team’s standout performers during the last campaign, turning in a series of formidable displays at the back to help the Reds reach both the League Cup and Europa League finals.
Sadly, neither occasion ended with silverware – leaving Lovren with a sharp feeling of regret since the defeat against Sevilla in Basel two months ago.
But the No.6 is looking ahead again, considering the possibilities in Klopp’s first full season as manager, determined to build on the experiences of 2015-16.
“I am ready to start the engine again,” he told Liverpoolfc.com.
“I’m feeling a little bit tired at the beginning [of pre-season], which is normal after a break. But it’s a good point to be here again and working hard.
“We didn’t have two days off in the middle of [last] season because we had a game every three or four days and we had a lot of injured players, so you couldn’t change some players that you needed to change.
“It was quite tough. But you are here to work and give everything for the club. It would have been much better if we could have finished the season with a win in the final. I still regret it.”
Lovren and co conquered the likes of Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund – with his famous winner at Anfield – and Villarreal to secure a spot in the Europa League showpiece.
Hopes were high as the squad and fans set off for Switzerland and confidence grew when Daniel Sturridge put the Reds in front, but a second-half comeback quashed thoughts of lifting the trophy.
Now the frustration of that night will be used as motivation.
“I hope we will have other finals in our career,” said Lovren. “We need to use this one so that we will never repeat it again.
“I regret it and feel we didn’t play 100 per cent in the game. Two or three games before, we did the same with all our heart and won against the big teams.
“It’s definitely a disappointment for all of us – for us and the fans. But it’s a learning process for us and the coach. It’s normal, it’s football – it’s never perfect. We will definitely use it for next time.”
And the 27-year-old also expects Liverpool to benefit from the fact Klopp and his staff have had nine months to equip themselves with the knowledge they need for the new term.
He added: “The manager came suddenly in the middle of the season and it was really tough for him to adapt, but he was adapting much quicker than everyone was thinking.
“It was like a warm-up for this season, so I think we will have a much better season with him.”