Liverpool were unlucky to lose the final after Thibaut Courtois put up an outstanding performance.
The players of Jurgen Klopp will be upset by the defeat, but they should rest easy.
Despite defeat, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not need to break his team apart this summer.
Instead, Klopp has to refocus his efforts on bolstering his aging midfield.
Liverpool was unfortunate to lose. Thibaut Courtois had one of those goalkeeping days where he didn't look like he was going to be beaten. You could tell when he tipped Sadio Mane's shot onto the post, and Mo Salah's fantastic late stop confirmed it.
The defeat will devastate Jurgen Klopp's players, but they can rest easy knowing that they were the better team overall.
Real Madrid needed to be pragmatic in order to defeat them, and that is exactly what they accomplished. Casemiro was great, demonstrating that you are not over the hill once you hit 30, while Valverde and Carvajal were outstanding down their right flank, suffocating Andy Robertson's threat.
When Thibaut Courtois tipped Sadio Mane's shot onto the post, you knew it wasn't going to be Liverpool's night.
When Thibaut Courtois tipped Sadio Mane's shot onto the post, you knew it wasn't going to be Liverpool's night.
The result will devastate Jurgen Klopp's players, but they can rest easy.
The players of Jurgen Klopp will be crushed.
They calculated the odds and calculated that the game might be won in brief moments. So when Trent Alexander-Arnold went off for a second, Vinicus scored, and Liverpool found themselves in the middle of a game – against a world-class goalie.
I don't think Liverpool fans would object to Klopp's pick; in fact, I believe that 99 percent of them would have agreed with him before the game. Thiago may have thrown a couple of passes away – it happens in these big games – but he appeared to be in good physical shape following his recovery.
Defeat will inevitably bring its own inquest, but Liverpool must recall how impressive they have been this season. It's amazing that a historic Quadruple was not discussed until the last weeks of the season.
It will be a shame if Mane left because he is my favorite Liverpool player, but I don't think Salah, Jota, Diaz – a young youngster who will only improve – Firmino, and don't forget Fabio Carvalho will have any trouble creating or scoring goals next season.
This child has caught my attention because he played for another of my old clubs, Fulham, and he will be playing games next season. He saunters past opponents like Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, and if he plays as a winger, Jota will have more opportunities in the middle. Klopp doesn't need to go out and buy an Erling Haaland-style superstar, in my opinion.
Keep in mind that Diaz is only 25 years old.
However, midfield is an area where Liverpool may try to improve. We don't know what will happen to James Milner, and Jordan Henderson has enough left in the tank, but at 31, he can't be expected to play 50 or 60 games every season at Klopp's pace.
Because Jordan Henderson and James Milner are getting older, a midfielder like Declan Rice would be a good fit.
Because Jordan Henderson and James Milner are getting older, a midfielder like Declan Rice would be a good fit.
I'm not sure whether either is affordable, but if a young and hungry top English midfielder like Declan Rice or Kalvin Phillips became available, they'd certainly be of interest because they'd be able to learn from Henderson and contribute to the team.
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