On a night when Anfield paid its respects to the families affected by the Hillsborough tragedy, Jurgen Klopp struck a pertinent note in keeping with a tense and emotional match on Merseyside.
‘Football plays this big role in the world,’ said Klopp. ‘There are much more important things. When there is football people think, “Oh my God, this is the most important thing in the world”. But it isn’t.
‘We have to give people the possibility to celebrate with us or be sad with us. For both, together is better. It’s clear, we give everything, the fans give everything.’
The form of Klopp’s Liverpool team has ebbed and flowed during his six months at the club. Sometimes, it is difficult to know what to make of them. Sometimes, you watch them play and wonder why they haven’t been able to apply pressure to those in the top four of the Barclays Premier League.
The German does have a knack of striking the right tone, however, and at this club, perhaps more than most, that is very important.
Klopp knows the challenges of life on Merseyside go hand in hand with life at the football club. It can be hard to separate them. He knew that there would be no better gift to the Hillsborough families than progress to a European final.
‘We’ve had a few nice moments in a difficult season,’ he said. ‘People are allowed to be optimistic. We will see what happens next. There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic.’
It is hard to argue. This was another colourful night at Anfield. There were some leftovers from a bad-tempered first leg in Spain between the players and the managers. It never reached Chelsea v Tottenham level but it was hard to avert the eyes all the same.
Liverpool could have been behind early — twice Villarreal may have scored — then they broke to take the lead. There were only six minutes played at that point and the old roof on the Main Stand was threatening to come off.
Modestly, Klopp suggested yesterday he doesn’t have a football philosophy. ‘Not a real one, because I’ve never thought about it,’ he said. ‘It’s natural. I’m the boss. I like to change things when I’m absolutely sure you have to change things. I expect people around me to do the same.
‘It’s not a real philosophy, I’m sorry. It’s more about doing what you think is right.’
Philosophy is an over-used word in football, of course, and maybe Klopp is wise to avoid it. Down the A580 in Manchester, Louis van Gaal refers endlessly to his, even though nobody is sure where to find it.
Klopp has a style of play, though. It’s one that involves high tempo and pressing and ferocious flurries of activity.
Last night it seemed appropriate, too. Liverpool had fed brilliantly off the energy of their supporters in slaying Borussia Dortmund here in the last round and they started off in a similar vein. They have the right players to function this way. They lack defensive certainty and can be too easily breached but in advanced areas they have neat, nimble footballers capable of worrying the life out of defenders when they have the ball and when they don’t.
Last night the Brazilian pair Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho typified this, while James Milner was excellent in the early stages. The ball he played in for Adam Lallana midway through the first half was perfect and deserved better than the scuffed shot applied by his colleague.
A second goal then and Liverpool may have had an easier ride against a Villarreal side capable in attack but skittish when pushed back towards their own goal.
As it was, it soon became clear that, courtesy of Liverpool’s failure to score in the first leg, this was going to the wire. Liverpool enjoyed the bulk of the possession, as expected, and always looked like creating opportunities. Most were half chances, though.
Villarreal pressed when they could and the role of Emre Can in front of central defenders Kolo Toure and Dejan Lovren was important. It was effective, too, as the hour came and went without Simon Mignolet having made a difficult save.
Sturridge’s goal — Liverpool’s second — was typical of him. Firmino’s pass was one that only the Brazilian could see, never mind play, and Sturridge didn’t blink as he rolled the ball under Alphonse Areola. Cue bedlam.
On the touchline, Klopp’s blood pressure rose. He is not always a manager to inspire calm, but something else he said before kick-off sprang to mind.
‘I knew that at one point in my life I would like to live here,’ he said. ‘It is an honour.’ – Daily Mail