The German tactician says his side didn’t have the depth in the squad to challenge for multiple trophies earlier in his reign.
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Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool are desperate to win the FA Cup ahead of the final against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The German tactician says his side didn’t have the depth in the squad to challenge for multiple trophies earlier in his reign. The Reds are aiming to end a 16-year wait for a domestic cup triumph. Liverpool advanced to the final after overcoming Premier League leaders Manchester City 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final match. Klopp, who took charge of the Merseyside club in 2015, is gearing up for his maiden FA Cup final. Meanwhile Liverpool are chasing an unprecedented quadruple this campaign having already won the EFL cup in February.
Tomorrow’s silverware up for grabs ? pic.twitter.com/ybcyoAbSv2
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 13, 2022
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Liverpool, the seven-time winners, beat Man City in the last four stage courtesy of a brilliant first-half performance that saw them finding the back of the net three times. Ibrahima Konate opened the scoring before Sadio Mane netted a double to make it 3-0. Although Pep Guardiola’s side came out all guns blazing to score two goals through Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, the Reds managed to hold on to the slender lead and reach its 15th final. While the Reds have won the Premier League and Champions League in the previous seasons under Klopp, the 54-year-old has not managed to lead it past the fifth round of the FA Cup before the current season.
“It was never that we didn’t want to go to the final, we just didn’t have the power to do it,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday. “We didn’t have the squad to go for (all the trophies). It’s our first FA Cup final and we are really, really desperate to win it, but we know our opponents are as well,” Klopp said of Chelsea, which Liverpool overcame on penalties in the League Cup final. “They are cup specialists… We didn’t ‘beat’ Chelsea. We won the shootout, I’ve said a few times that without luck you have no chance and luck was on our side that day.” he added.
Defensive midfielder Fabinho suffered an injury in the 2-1 league win against Aston Villa on Tuesday night and will miss the trip to London, but Klopp said the Brazilian will be fit for the Champions League final against Real Madrid later this month. The Reds are three points adrift of leaders Man City in the Premier League, with two games remaining. “When you go for three or four trophies, it’s clear you get it or you don’t. It’s a busy season, but it will never happen that the FA Cup is just a normal game,” Klopp said.
“It’s a special game and, for some, the biggest in their career. We want to enjoy it and deliver for our people. We are really looking forward to this opportunity. It’s now a massive final for us and I’m really happy we are part of it.” Meanwhile for the Blues, the FA Cup represents the only piece of silverware left on the line this campaign.
