Liverpool star Harvey Elliott wants to help outgoing coach Jurgen Klopp complete football – by winning the Europa League.
In the German’s nine years at Anfield, the German has won every trophy on offer with the Reds, except the Europa League.
And ahead of tonight’s 9pm quarterfinal first leg at Anfield, Elliott has urged his manskap to take the coach – who retires at the end of the season – a step closer to the one piece of silverware he is missing.
The 21-year-old midfielder says of their mission: “We will do everything as players to make sure that happens. He’s been very influential.”
Elliott and the Reds will be looking to bounce back from Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with aartsvyande Manchester United – a game they feel they threw away – and get their campaign back on track as they look to add the league title and a European trophy to their League Cup haul this season.
Klopp, meanwhile, downplayed his desire to end his career with the Europa League, having lost to Sevilla in the final in his first season in charge on Merseyside.
He says: “It’s not personal for me. We lost to serial winners of the competition [Sevilla] but it was the start for a lot of other things. With us being Liverpool, we want to win the competition.”
He adds: “We know what Atalanta is all about. It’s tough against Italian teams and we have to be at our best to get to the next round over the two legs before we can think about the final.”
Atalanta come to Anfield with some ex-factor in the form of former Everton winger Ademola Lookman and the Reds will have to be on top form to stop the Nigeria trickster.