Klopp explains why Liverpool cannot underestimate Chelsea in Super Cup

Jurgen.Klopp_.TEAMtalk

Jurgen Klopp played down Liverpool’s favourites tag ahead of their clash with Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night.

Champions League holders take on Europa League titlists Chelsea in Istanbul for the Super Cup crown, with both sides enduring contrasting fortunes in their Premier League opening games.

Liverpool beat newly-promoted side Norwich 4-1, while Chelsea were on the receiving end of a 4-0 defeat from Manchester United in Frank Lampard’s first competitive match in charge.

But despite those differing starts, Klopp is under no illusion that Chelsea will pose a threat in their meeting tomorrow.

“Winning games always helps. But tomorrow night is a different competition. Everything is prepared for a final and we have to be ready for a final,” he explained.

“I didn’t know everybody expected us to win tomorrow! No problem what people think around us. We respect Chelsea a lot. If you saw the result v United you’d have no idea how the game was.

“Chelsea will be 100% ready and we have to be. We have to ignore what others say – and that’s what we do, actually.

“We won one competition last season. This team is built to be successful and that’s what tomorrow we will try to do. With a bit more luck against City we could have won it. Now we have to prove it again.”

The match will see Liverpool return to the city of Istanbul, albeit in a different stadium to the site of their most famous European triumph in the 2005 Champions League final.

Klopp is excited at the prospect of Liverpool playing in the Turkish capital again, while also praising the support received by the club from fans from afar.

“I know about importance of Istanbul and what a special place it is for every LFC supporter. 2005, nobody will forget it.

“We are different people though, team in 2019/20. That’s a pretty good one as well. Istanbul is always a good place to play football.

“If I’m right, there is a pretty big community of Liverpool supporters in Istanbul as well, so that makes it special. We hope to make it a special place for ourselves. As for the final next year [which will be held in the same venue in which Liverpool beat AC Milan in the 2005 final]? I have no clue.

“It’s brilliant [that we have all these fans]. We welcome them from all over the world. Seeing what CL win meant to them was a special moment. We need help tomorrow against Chelsea as they are strong – anybody who wants to help is invited!”

 

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