Liverpool 2-1 Monterrey: Jürgen Klopp's reaction
Jürgen Klopp felt his Liverpool side did 'exceptionally well' by booking a place in the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Monterrey in Qatar on Wednesday.
The Reds set up a meeting with Brazilian outfit Flamengo in Saturday's showpiece after Roberto Firmino's late intervention at the Khalifa International Stadium.
The No.9 was introduced to the last-four tie in the 85th minute and converted Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross in injury time to secure the victory in Doha.
Naby Keita had given Klopp's side the lead early in the first half before parity was restored two minutes later through Rogelio Funes Mori's equaliser.
Read on for a summary of Klopp's post-match press conference...
On a hard-fought win...
I don’t think it was possible to be a different way. The hard way we saw now with a couple of games here in this tournament and obviously each team is here to represent the country, the continent, whatever, and try everything to be successful. The opponent tonight did exactly the same, they fought really hard. We had problems before the game, we knew that we will have some problems in the game as well, it was clear. But I really think the boys did exceptionally well because we had so many strange things. It was the most offensive midfield I’ve probably ever lined up in a competitive game, then Hendo and Joe Gomez together as a centre-half pairing – Hendo’s first time at centre-half, what a game. We controlled the game for a long period and then they came with the set-piece. With the set-piece, where it was clear that we were not too tall today, I think Funes Mori scored the goal and usually a player in that situation is offside when you play against us. In this case, he was not offside – that’s one thing. Then counter-attacks, long balls, stuff like this, that's what they had and then we had Ali in these moments, which helps obviously a lot, or we defended in a different way. I am really overly-happy with the performance because I knew before the game that it will be really tough and difficult and the boys did really well again.
On Monterrey's quality...
I was never in doubt about that: why should we think that European football stands over all or whatever? But still, one game is not enough – you cannot judge a player after one game and you cannot judge a team after one game. But they are good, I saw in the game against Al Sadd already good players, all that stuff. But for us we were, with a new line-up, really dominant in a lot of moments. This kind of switch they do from time to time – five in the back, four in the back – didn't cause us too much problems. We had sensational football moments with Naby and Mo especially when we passed the ball through. We did what we had to do. We are not here to show Europe is stronger than North America, Mexico or whatever. We just wanted to win the game and all the other people have to judge.
On the spirit and determination of his team...
I was actually afraid of the extra-time, to be honest! So I was more than happy when Bobby scored that goal. We had to do a few changes because we had no other options, but we wanted some other changes for the line-up. It means we left Trent out, Bobby out and Sadio out, so that gives us then the opportunity when the game is not decided to make a decision. That Bobby scored the goal is just wonderful. He came on and was immediately in the game, really good situations – the pass for Mo maybe not clear enough but he helped us a lot. Sadio with his power and all that stuff, Trent immediately dangerous crosses, so it helped. But staying on track is part of our game. For sure, you cannot plan a goal like this, you only should not think it is impossible. Super, super goal. I saw the goal but not that the ball went in because so many players were in between, I just saw the reaction of the opposite goalkeeper and he was not too happy, so I started celebrating. It was really, really cool.
On playing Flamengo in the final...
It will be more difficult for sure, just because it's the next game and we have now to collect our bones. I don’t know who exactly will be ready for the next game, so we will see. I saw the bench of Monterrey, there were like 10, 15 players on it, I don't know, I'm not sure. Probably Flamengo’s season is over, they are here with the full squad pretty much as well. We have just to recover as quick as possible and to make ourselves ready. But we saw Flamengo, of course, in the other semi-final and it was an open game for a long period. We will see who deals better with the circumstances, who has more right decisions. But with Jorge Jesus as a manager, of course there's a European influence and that's it, but the player themselves already have quality. If there would not be a European coach, it would already be difficult. With Jorge Jesus, very, very experienced, very successful in Portgual and now in Brazil as well, we have a lot of respect for that but at the end we will try our best and we will see how it will work out.
On the performances of Keita, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane...
First of all, the pass for Naby’s goal was from Mo, he had a lot of final balls. The Milner chance, the ball was from Mo as well. Look, we are all human beings and the attention on Mo Salah in this part of the world is obviously massive. I thought he played a sensationally good game for all that happened around. When you go out for warming up and everybody is only looking at you, I wouldn’t feel too comfortable with that. But he dealt really well, he was always a threat, he played a really, really good game. Until the last minute he was there for the balls in behind. Yes, they tried to defend him from time to time with two guys and then another with only one guy but really aggressive, that's how life is. He has to deal with that and he can deal with that. I am really, really happy with Mo’s game. Sadio, I think I've told you before, you cannot just push the same players through the season. We have the quality with Divock, especially offensively with Divock and Shaq, so we need to use that and that’s what we did. But it was clear we had the opportunity to bring on Sadio and Bobby. Now Sadio played maybe 25 minutes or 30 and Bobby maybe 10 or 15, so good, very good for us. Naby, what a player – very decisive, super goal, another chance. That’s his strength, in small spaces he feels quite comfortable, so that helps us a lot. The runs in behind when we are already high up the pitch, that's an exceptional skill of him that he goes there. He scored already a goal like this, had another chance in a similar situation. Top game, really happy.
On what he expects in Saturday's final...
Tough game, a really tough game. But we watched the game, yes, I saw a lot and we will watch more games. One game is important but it is not all about that. We will be a different opponent, of course, but that’s how it is. With analysis, we will do tomorrow at I think 5pm, so when we do the real analysis then I start thinking really about the next opponent. In the moment, all that I could say now would be based on one game, and I don’t believe in signs from one game. We have to watch two or three games and that's what we will do. Then we will know what our conclusion will be. At the end we try to make ourselves ready for a really tough game. Next to our hotel before the game, the Flamengo fans celebrated already before their game, had a proper party, they obviously have a couple of supporters for them. For them it's important, for us it's important and we have to see who deals with that situation better.
On Keita’s goalscoring form and its importance to the side…
It would be really nice if football was that easy: that we realise we have a lack of goals from midfield, we tell the boys and they shoot goals from there… it is not like this. We have a specific way of playing, I really like how obvious that always is, how much we always stick to our principles, to our patterns, that is really important. That brings different players from different positions into scoring positions. Naby is a player who can score goals. It is not the highest number of games he’s played for us, but he’s scored a lot of goals already, important goals as well. Absolutely brilliant how he did that today – and there is so much more to come. Maybe if you know Naby a bit longer you would say, ‘OK, that looked really good but there is still some space.’ That’s absolutely brilliant news for us.
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