When your goalkeeper is the Man of the Match, then “something is going wrong for the other team”, says Jurgen Klopp.
That’s Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp’s assessment after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in Saturday’s Champions League final in which Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois won the Man of the Match award.
Klopp has every right to feel his team deserved more in Paris, after taking a total of 24 shots at Courtois’ goal – nine of which were on target – with Real only having two of their four shots at goal on target.
One of them went in thanks to Vinicius Jr, ultimately separating the two sides after 90 minutes, while Courtois made four big saves from Mo Salah and another from Sadio Mane.
Klopp says: “We had a lot more shots, a lot more shots on target, but the most decisive stat is absolutely on Madrid’s side.
“They scored a goal, we didn’t, that’s the easiest explanation in the world of football and it’s hard, harsh to get anyway, [but we] respect that of course.
“When the goalkeeper is Man of the Match then something is going wrong for the other team, so we had I think three really big chances where Courtois made incredible saves.”
After also missing out on the Premier League title last week, Klopp adds: “These boys played an outstanding season. The two competitions we couldn’t win, we didn’t win for the smallest possible margin – one point, 1-0.”
Klopp glo vas they will be back in the Champions League final next season, saying: “I have a strong feeling we will come again... Where’s the next final? Istanbul? Book the hotel.”
While Klopp was hartseer, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti became the first man to win the trophy four times and says: “I am a record man...
“But I am even more thrilled to have come back to Madrid and had such a spectacular season.”