Champions League final 2019: Jurgen Klopp on why his poor finals record can help Liverpool this time around

The German lost his sixth successive showpiece last season, against Real Madrid, but insisted his side have 'grown' from that

Jurgen Klopp believes his runners-up record in finals may finally be a positive, as the experience of last year may help him at last win a trophy with Liverpool, in Saturday’s Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid.

The German lost his sixth successive showpiece last season, against Real Madrid, but insisted his side have “grown” from that.

Klopp also laughed at the idea that he is neithe a “loser” or “unlucky”, as his side stands on the brink of a sixth European Cup.

“It’s a good thing, getting older,” the Liverpool boss said in Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium, which hosts the 65th Champions league final. “We are a year older. Players like Trent [Alexander-Arnold] have 50 more games in their legs. The boys performed in the final [last year]. Playing against clear favourites helped us as well. It was not like we didn’t have many chances. Last year we surprised ourselves a little that we were in the final. We were not as consistent as we are now.”

Asked whether he feels he has been unlucky after six successive lost finals going back to 2012 with Borussia Dortmund, Klopp was philosophical. He pointed to how freakish the manner of last season’s defeat was, too, with Gareth Bale scoring a wonder goal and then the other two coming from Loris Karius' errors.

"All the circumstances were different [in the finals I've been in], the teams were different. If I were the reason for losing six finals then everyone needs to worry. Last year was a world-class goal and two strange goals we normally don’t concede.

"My career so far was not unlucky. Since 2012 – apart from 2017 – I've been in a final every season. I'm probably the world record holder in winning semi-finals. If I wrote a book about it, nobody would buy it.

"If I see myself as a 'loser' then that would be a problem. But I don't see myself like that. Whether I am winner, that is for the outside world. We don't see it like that.”

Klopp looked visibly excited by the prospect of Saturday’s spectacle.

"We have two proper football teams in the final. I respect a lot what Poch did. He had a very talented group when he came here. How they have improved has been really impressive. It's a real football final – both have to deal with that.”

He also reflected on his relationship with Liverpool.

"It's a wonderful club. We fell in love with each other. I think it's normal that I'm in a good mood. I don't waste time being in a bad mood before the game. We will be there and try to play a very positive game.”