Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Liverpool will make the Europa League ‘our competition’ next season after the Reds’ chances of a top four finish were all but ended after yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield.
Despite heading into the clash off the back of seven consecutive victories the Merseysiders struggle for consistency earlier this season had left them with too much work to do in their pursuit of a Champions League spot.
Although Klopp’s side are now unlikely to be competing in Europe’s premier competition next term, something the former Borussia Dortmund boss has admitted, he insists that qualification for the Europa League is still an ‘incredible’ achievement.
Klopp told BBC Sport (via FourFourTwo): “We will make it [the Europa League] our competition. I am not that spoiled.
“That we are already qualified for the Europa League is incredible with all these teams around us. That’s really difficult and we did it; that is good.
“For so long we couldn’t even hear the sound of the Champions League; that’s how far away we were. The Europa League is absolutely fine. Let’s see what we can do.”
Missing out on the top four for just the second time since Klopp’s arrival back in 2015 is of course a huge blow, especially after last season’s efforts which saw us two games away from a glorious quadruple, but there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic ahead of the new campaign.
We’ve looked much better in recent weeks with Trent Alexander-Arnold being deployed in a new inverted role when we have possession and if we can complete some quality business in the transfer market there’s no reason why we can’t be competing on all four fronts again next term.
You’d have every right to suggest that our ability to attract top players to the club this summer has took a bit of a blow with no Champions League football to offer but the players that do move to L4 in the coming months should be hungry to get the club back where it belongs.
Attention now turns to our trip to Southampton next weekend before preparations for the 2023/24 campaign begin.
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