After crashing out of the Champions League in a rather devasting manner, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the task now for his charges is to qualify for the competition next season.
The Kops were downed 1-0 by Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie as they got eliminated on a 6-2 aggregate following Madrid’s 5-2 first-leg win at Anfield three weeks ago.
Prior the game, Klopp admitted his side had just a 1% chance of going through to the next round and he was right because this time, they could not even find the back of the net. Madrid’s captain Karim Benzema sealed the expected triumph for the Los Blancos as they sailed through to the quarterfinals.
The result means Liverpool are out of all competitions, and the only way to rescue their season is by earning a spot for next season’s Champions League.
“If you want to win the competition, you have to be outstanding, and we weren’t tonight, so the result is fair,” Klopp said of the defeat in his press conference.
“But of course, it’s the competition, and we want to be part of it every year, and that’s the massive task now.
“When we get back from the international break we have a proper football week ahead of us, with three games, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, which will then probably define what we get out of it. Our job is to squeeze absolutely everything from this season as possible.”
Liverpool currently find themselves trailing Tottenham, placed fourth by six points. They had increased their chances of qualifying for the Champions League with their 7-0 battering of Manchester United early this month, but following their 1-0 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday, they find themselves farther away from the desired position.
Earning that spot is now the number one objective for Klopp’s team, but it is not going to be a walk in the park as they will, back to back face tough opponents in their upcoming games starting with Manchester City who they take on at the Etihad Stadium right after the International break on April 1.
A trip to London to face Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge will then follow before current league leaders Arsenal pay them a visit at Anfield on April 9.
