Jürgen Klopp Talks of “Important” Champions League Hopes

In another world, Liverpool could have been very relaxed about these last three games.

But this is not the world we live in. Points were carelessly dropped across the season and it’s probably going to take three wins from the last three games to finish in the top four.

If you thought Jürgen Klopp and his players would lose focus on this, you thought wrong.

“The season always has an impact on the next season, that is clear - money-wise or success-wise,” the manager told the Liverpool Echo.

“We try to be prepared for pretty much everything, from a scouting point of view or a coaching point of view. We have always said that.

“This season has had so many turns, ups and downs, we shouldn’t be acting like [Champions League qualification] is going to happen.

“But it’s important, that is clear. For the players, it’s even much more important from a joy point of view, they want to desperately play Champions League. We have to use that.

“We will not stop playing if we don’t qualify, and we will not buy eight players if we qualify. That’s not the difference.

“We have to do serious stuff and we will see how that works out. Then we will play the new season.

“I am six years in, and in the first year we didn’t have a proper chance to qualify for the Champions League. But from then on, we qualified all the time and it was always the main target.

“That says something - it shows it is really important to the club.

“Some other good teams are not in yet as well - imagine a Champions League without Juventus.

“You have to deserve it. If you are not part of it, then you didn’t.”

Liverpool have to deserve it. They have to. Three games to show it, lads.