Gini Wijnaldum On His First Season in the Champions League

On the eve of Liverpool’s biggest game in a decade, Gini Wijnaldum takes time to discuss what it feels like to have done so well in his first season in the Champions League. The Reds head to the Stadio Olimpico with a 5-2 advantage over AS Roma. They’re 90 minutes away from another European final — Klopp’s second since he’s arrived at the club. Wijnaldum has been a crucial part of Klopp’s midfield throughout their unbeaten campaign, and he’ll continue to play a huge role thanks to a depleted first team.

None of this has fazed Gini, who seems to be enjoying his time in the spotlight.

“I feel good, relaxed, I don’t have problems with sleeping,” Wijnaldum said. “It is the first time in this position where I play a game like this but it’s not like I feel different or anything. We are now so close that you can go to the final and try to win it but at the beginning of the season I didn’t really think about it.

“This is my first season in the Champions League and I didn’t know what to expect or how difficult it was. Now I see it is a really hard competition to win because you play against really good teams and the further you go the more difficult it is.”

It’s nice that Gini is so relaxed and having no touble sleeping — that makes one of us. Meanwhile, I’ll continue anxiously counting down the minutes until tomorrow’s match and hoping the universe is kind and gives Gini the chance to play in a Champions League final.