Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp defiant after Champions League final loss: ‘We will go again’

PARIS — Jurgen Klopp has vowed Liverpool will bounce back stronger next year after a campaign which promised an unprecedented Quadruple ended with a 1-0 Champions League Final defeat to Real Madrid.

Vinicius Junior scored the only goal at the Stade de France to hand Real a record-extending 14th European Cup and leave Liverpool with only the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup trophies to show for their marathon 64-game season.

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Klopp’s side last week missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City by a solitary point and were denied a seventh European crown in France on a Saturday evening somewhat overshadowed by thousands of supporters experiencing difficulties entering the stadium with some being tear-gassed by French police.

Jurgen Klopp has now been on the losing end in three Champions League finals, having previously lost with Liverpool in 2018 and with Borussia Dortmund in 2013. UEFA via Getty Images

Liverpool will return to England for a parade starting on Sunday afternoon expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of supporters and Klopp said: “These boys played an outstanding season. The two competitions we couldn’t win, we didn’t for the smallest possible margin: one point, 1-0. City during the season, they were one point better and tonight Madrid was one goal better.

“That says nothing about us. The difference between 2018 and now is that I see us coming again. In 2018, I wished it but I couldn’t know but these boys are really competitive, they have an incredible attitude.

“It is a fantastic group. We will go again definitely. Tomorrow we will celebrate the season. It is good we don’t have to do that immediately but after a night’s sleep and maybe another speech from me, the boys will realise how special it was what we did.

“Even if nobody on this planet would understand we have a parade tomorrow, we still will do it. I really hope everybody has a chance to get to Liverpool tomorrow to celebrate together with us a fantastic season that didn’t end as we wanted. That’s fact but the club is in a good moment, we will go again.”

Klopp added to BT Sport: “Where’s it [the final] next season? Istanbul? Book the hotel.”