Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has spoken to the press ahead of tomorrow's Europa League final.
>> Watch Jurgen Klopp's press conference
The reds manager was preceded by club captain Jordan Henderson and vice captain James Milner in fielding questions from the media.
Henderson and Milner
Milner was asked about the reward of playing in the Champions League for the winner and if it mattered more than actually winning a trophy. He said no.
Milner: Everyone wants to play in the CL, but ultimately if you don't win anything and you've played in the CL there's not much to look at.
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Milner: 'So we're desperate to finish the job. It's all about winning trophies.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Meanwhile Henderson was pushed on whether he would be involved in the team. He batted away suggestions that the team had been decided - suggesting the players would find out before kick off (obviously tongue-in-cheek).
Henderson tells the press he doesn't know the team: 'I don't expect to start. I've only played 25 to 30 minutes. The team have done well'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Jurgen Klopp
Klopp had spent time out on the pitch before the press conference and was trying to keep the hype down as much as he could.
Klopp: 'I am only thinking about the performance. You can only win or lose. The only thing you can influence is your performance.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'The harder you try - the more likely (a win) is to happen.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
The players who arrived yesterday may not yet have witnessed the large numbers of fans who have already begun to stream into the city - although the majority of fans are expected to arrive tomorrow.
Klopp told of mass numbers of LFC fans in the town 'Well it's not because of me - it must be because Basel is a beautiful city.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'We would really love to be the team who can make their dreams come true. I promise we will try everything.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
A short 'training session' will be held on the pitch shortly after the press conference - something Klopp is hardly looking forward to!
Klopp tells the press 'You can watch the training after this, unfortunately, which means we will do practically nothing.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'I prepare the team for a final as normal as possible. Obviously, we have to do more press work. The rest has to be the usual.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'I'm sure the players are ready. We are here a day earlier but only because at home everyone is asking us for tickets!'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp on pressure: 'If we forget tomorrow is a football game we will make the first mistake. We have to be organised.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Jurgen was asked about the tournament as a whole - Rubin Kazan at Anfield was his first home game as Liverpool boss. He said that the team have equipped themselves well over the course of the tournament despite the difficult fixture congestion.
Klopp: 'The group was close, but never in the history of these tournaments does the team in the final win after an easy route.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'This team has developed really well, on frozen pitches in Sion, after a long flight to Kazan - always 3 days later was a PL game.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'When we flew back from Villarreal at 5am and played at Swansea at 12pm two days later. It was difficult but we're here.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Jurgen was asked about his long term commitment to clubs - he spent 7 years at Mainz and 7 years at Dortmund before joining Liverpool.
Klopp: '7 years at Liverpool hopefully.. I don't know. British press are your best friends until they don't want to be your friend anymore.
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'I don't feel the pressure. I don't have all the time in the world but I have never felt doubt around me at a club.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp: 'Maybe I'll be a long time at Liverpool? I don't know. We want to use this momentum.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp was asked about the opposition. He congratulated them and said both teams had committed themselves to this competition and they both deserve to be there in the final.
Klopp on Sevilla's danger men: 'They can only be as strong as we allow them to be. Big respect for the whole Sevilla squad.'
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) 17 May 2016
Klopp went on to speak about how Spanish sides currently play the best football in Europe - a question that was sparked by a reporter who mentioned that only Liverpool and Spanish clubs have knocked other Spanish clubs out of Europe.
Klopp Europa League final press conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_k8TpCfxw0
The game kicks off tomorrow night at 7:45pm BST.
