Klopp sets focus on ending season on high

Liverpool to play Brighton before facing Spanish giants in Champions League final


Afp May 12, 2018
Liverpool's first Champions League final since 2007 offers a spectacular end to a thrilling campaign, yet there is still work to do to qualify for next season's competition. PHOTO: AFP

LIVERPOOL: Jurgen Klopp's big challenge this weekend is to keep his Liverpool players focused on Brighton when the temptation is to look towards Real Madrid.

Liverpool's first Champions League final since 2007 offers a spectacular end to a thrilling campaign, yet there is still work to do to qualify for next season's competition.

Fourth-placed Liverpool need to avoid defeat against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday in their final Premier League match to ensure they hold off Chelsea in the battle for a top-four finish.

Klopp uncomfortable with Liverpool’s favourites tag in Champions League semi

While Klopp's side have produced some exceptional performances to reach their showdown with Real in Kiev, particularly in their quarter-final victory over Manchester City and the home leg of their semi-final against Roma, their domestic form has dipped over the past month.

They have collected just six points from their past five league matches, failing to beat either of the bottom two, and their top-four place suddenly started to look wobbly after last Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Chelsea.

In the end, Klopp was grateful to a favour from the person who was best man at his wedding — the Huddersfield manager David Wagner — whose side earned a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to damage fifth-placed Chelsea's chances of overtaking Liverpool.

Klopp has suggested he will resist the temptation to rest Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk or any of his other key players in order to keep them fresh for the Champions League final, noting the fact that it does not take place until 13 days after the Brighton game.

"As long as we are not 100 per cent in the Champions League, this last game is the most important of the season," he said. "I've said it a few times, all the things we've done so far have built a basis, we have to use the basis. The basis is obviously good because if we win against Brighton we are in the Champions League. That's good but there is still a job to do. I have no problem with that. That's the situation but it's no problem to play the game, we have to play it anyway so now we have to win it, that's it."

Zidane happy to suffer as Real march on

Much of the focus at Liverpool remains on Egypt forward Salah, who won three player of the year awards on Thursday — two given to him by his club, and one by the Football Writers' Association.

Salah, who has 43 goals for Liverpool this season, has been a little below his best lately, and is without a goal in three matches.

There is a sense that he is one player who could do with a break, but there is little sign of him getting one, as he prepares to join up with his international squad for the World Cup shortly after the Champions League final.

Conte's future with Chelsea in doubt

With Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League hanging by a slender thread, the future of their manager Antonio Conte is the main topic of conversation around Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho spat over, United favourites ahead of FA Cup final: Conte

"There are six top teams at the start of the season ready to fight for a place in the Champions League," Conte said. "Failing to make the Champions League can happen. In the past, it happened the same. Don't forget two years ago, Chelsea ended the season 10th and not in the FA Cup final, not in the semi-finals of the League Cup, and they were eliminated in the last 16 against PSG in the Champions League. It can happen.”

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