Sports

Jurgen Klopp revealed his Champions League prediction to Philippe Coutinho in private meeting at Liverpool

315

Klopp revealed his Champions League prediction to Coutinho in private meeting at Liverpool — Jurgen Klopp told Philippe Coutinho that Liverpool would emerge as Champions League contenders. (Reuters)

Jurgen Klopp told Philippe Coutinho in a private meeting that Liverpool would turn into one of the Champions Leagues heavyweights, according to reports.

Liverpool are on the brink of reaching next months Champions League final after beating Roma 5-2 in the first leg of their semi-final at Anfield on Tuesday evening.

But according to Joe.co.uk, Klopp predicted Liverpools rise in Europe in a meeting with Coutinho at the clubs training ground in December 2016.

The report claims that the Liverpool manager told the Brazilian that he felt the three Champions League frontrunners – Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona – were not going to be as formidable as once were and would not be viewed as unbeatable sides in the upcoming seasons.

Klopp then told Coutinho that Liverpool could become a force in Europe once again, and said that the midfielder would be at the centre of the clubs revival.

More: Football

AdvertisementAdvertisement

But Klopps vision was not enough for Coutinho, who demanded to leave Liverpool for Barcelona a year later.

Coutinho was cup-tied for this years Champions League after he joined Barcelona from Liverpool, but his new club were surprisingly knocked out by Roma in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have a new talisman as Mohamed Salah has established himself as the focal point in Klopps attack.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, left, celebrates scoring his side's first goal with Liverpool's Roberto Firmino during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) — Mohamed Salah is Liverpools new talisman. (AP)

After beating Roma at Anfield, Klopp insisted that the two late goals his side conceded did not make a difference to their approach to the second leg next week.

It should not sound like a warning or whatever but we are not Barcelona, said Klopp.

Barcelona is one of the two or three best teams in the world and they won so many things in the last few years and we didnt.

We will fight with all we have for that result again. It is so much better than I could have expected before the game but now in the moment I feel the two goals we conceded.

We have to work again in Rome – that is no problem. There would have been work for us to do if we had won 5-0 because Roma would have tried everything to strike back anyway so that is not a big difference.