Jürgen Klopp explains emotions ahead of 'big moment' at Anfield
Jürgen Klopp has described his matchday emotions ahead of Liverpool's Premier League coronation at Anfield this evening.
Almost a month after clinching the club’s first league title since 1990, the boss, his players and staff will head onto the Kop to collect the glittering trophy once their clash with Chelsea concludes tonight.
As he detailed his mood during an exclusive interview for Liverpoolfc.com’s Match Centre this afternoon, Klopp again stated the uniquely difficult circumstances of preparing for such a tough match knowing what is to follow the full-time whistle.
“Good, good,” he said of his current feeling.
“Different things to go for – one is the game, which I like. But it’s a difficult one, we don’t have to hide that fact. It’s really difficult because they are good, they are strong and they fight for the Champions League, and we don’t obviously. We fight for keeping different records going, stuff like that, that’s all clear.
“The boys looked really good in training, that’s good. Then, after the game there’s a big moment, a big moment. I’m looking forward to it really, it will be really special, it will be really emotional.
“But it’s like you know behind the wall is something which you really like, but you still have to climb or jump over the wall, that’s how it is at the moment. But that’s not a problem because we have enough time after the game.
“We will be prepared as good as we can for the time after the game as well. So, all good.”
The Reds take on Chelsea for the fourth time this season, having claimed UEFA Super Cup and Premier League wins before losing to the Blues in the FA Cup.
Frank Lampard’s FA Cup finalists journey to Anfield in the midst of a tight race for Champions League qualification, and Klopp acknowledged Liverpool must reach their highest level to mark their final home fixture of the campaign with success.
“It was always [tough]. This year we won the away game, we won the Super Cup final – it was a draw and a penalty shootout – and we lost the FA Cup game,” he said of the visitors.
“Traditionally, we always have a really tough draw; away at Chelsea, thank you very much! With a changed team obviously, but again, they are just good. That’s how it is.
“That we are 30 points ahead of Chelsea, some people will probably take it that we are the clear favourite but when you see the games, you know it was much closer in the games. But I have no problem with that.
“I respect what other teams do, we do our stuff and if we do it at our highest level, we are really uncomfortable to play against. I saw that in the City game, I saw that in the Arsenal game, that we were really spot on – with one or two situations which were not perfect, that’s true as well.
“We just have to make sure that the good things are there as well again and the not-so-good things we don’t show tonight – that’s how football is always.”
