Former England international Gary Lineker has gushed over Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and delivered his verdict on the Champions League final.
The Reds will take on Mauricio Pochettino’s side in the showpiece event on 1 June, and Lineker believes that Klopp’s team are the favourites for the clash.
“Overall, team against team, they’ve got the better players,” he told The Times. “They finished 20-odd points ahead of Tottenham this season. So it’s hard to make a case where Tottenham are favourites. But, as we know in football, the best teams don’t always win, which is one of the things that makes it so special.
“Klopp is a massively enthusiastic, passionate man. The Liverpool side very much reflects his personality: very dynamic, great energy. He’s infectious, he can be exceptionally witty, he’s clearly very intelligent, and he’s a brilliant football man who shows his passion. It adds to the game, adds to the drama, adds to the show.”
OPINION
Lineker is pretty spot on, here. Liverpool will be the favourites for the final and rightfully so. They have been far better than Tottenham this season, there’s no doubt about that. However, Spurs have shown on numerous occasions in their Champions League run this term that they will not go away quietly. They keep fighting until the end and have turned around several perilous situations because of that. They will make life difficult for the Reds, but ultimately Klopp’s team should have enough to secure the silverware their season richly deserves. As for what Lineker says about Klopp, he’s absolutely right. He has built this Liverpool team in his image and they carry out his instructions to the letter. He comes across as such a positive, happy guy, that it’s easy to dismiss him and underestimate his tactical acumen. But there’s no doubt that he is one of the very best managers in world football.
