Liverpool, not favourites in today’s Champions League final -Klopp

Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp, has refused to accept the tag of his Reds side as favourites in today’s Champions League final.

Having finished 26 points better off as they dragged the battle for the Premier League title at the just-ended season with Manchester City to the last day, Liverpool are widely perceived to be the favourite with the underdogs tag going to Spurs.

And especially with Liverpool chasing for their sixth European title while Mauricio Pochettino has led Tottenham to their first European Cup/Champions League final, many expect Jurgen Klopp’s side to nick it but the German doesn’t see it all that way.

“If I thought Tottenham had an advantage I would be mad,” Klopp said at a news conference yesterday, adding: “I know people say we are the favourites because we have more points in the league.

“But if you saw our games against Tottenham this season, it was only 2-1. There’s no advantage before the game.”

Liverpool, who were losing finalists to Real Madrid last season, hope to go one better but Klopp also dismissed another error of perception that he is unlucky in finals having suffered defeats in his last six from his time at previous club, Borussia Dortmund.

“All the circumstances were different [in the finals I’ve been in], the teams were different,” Klopp said.

“If I were the reason for losing six finals then everyone needs to worry. Last year was a world-class goal [by Gareth Bale] and two strange goals we normally don’t concede.

“We’re a year older. Players like Trent [Alexander-Arnold] have 50 more games in their legs. The boys performed in the final [last year]. It was not like we didn’t have many chances,” he added.