Jurgen Klopp gives verdict on Liverpool ’revenge’ mission

The Reds will meet Real Madrid for a re-match in the Champions League final this Saturday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down thoughts of revenge when his side takes on Real Madrid in the 2021/22 Champions League final.

The two clubs will meet at the showpiece event in Paris this Saturday, three years on from their meeting in Kyiv. Real Madrid won that final 3-1. Karim Benzema’s goal in the second half, along with a superb brace from Gareth Bale, canceled out Sadio Mane’s equalizer for Liverpool.

The match also saw Mohamed Salah come off injured after a clash with former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Eight Liverpool starters from back then remain key parts of the current team, including Salah. The Egyptian attacker recently ignited thoughts of revenge on Twitter by posting: “We have a score to settle.”

We have a score to settle. pic.twitter.com/MWxfhIIW78

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) May 4, 2022

Klopp plays down thoughts of revenge

For Klopp, however, thoughts of revenge won’t help Liverpool conquer the Spanish champions in Paris.

“We played them; we lost. What kind of reaction would you want to show for yourself?” the Reds boss told UEFA.com.

“The fun part of it is, we played against Madrid in Kyiv [in 2018], we won it in Madrid [in 2019]; it was a different stadium [Atlético’s Estadio Metropolitano] and now we play Madrid again. So, obviously, when we are in a Champions League final, Madrid is always somehow involved.

“There’s the feeling that we want to put things right, definitely, but it cannot be the main thought. If we go there [saying] like, “Revenge! Payback!” all these kinds of things, it doesn’t work like that. That’s not us. We came here to the final in a different way. So, we have to play our way and that’s what we have to try [to do].”

Which team is the favorite to win?

At the time of writing, the bookmakers have Liverpool pinned down as the favorites. Bet365 has odds of 2.05 listed for the Reds to win the Champions League final. A Real Madrid triumph is priced at 3.30.