'Book the hotel', Jurgen Klopp confident about Reds returning to Champions League final next year
- Sean Fisher
- 28 May 2022
After narrowly missing out on a cup treble this season, it didn't take Jurgen Klopp long to crack a joke about his Liverpool side bouncing back next year.
Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat on Saturday night to deny the Reds a seventh Champions League title.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. scored the only goal of the game at the Stade de France, after the European showpiece was delayed for 35 minutes due to problems with fans.
After chasing the quadruple for much of the season, Liverpool ended up with 'only' a domestic double in the shape of an FA Cup and League Cup.
But while much of Liverpool's squad and staff were devastated with the loss, Jurgen Klopp was characteristically positive after the full-time whistle.
Defeat in the #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/BiigWV7HM9
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 28, 2022
The German coach was quick to point out that his side will bounce back, and even joked about his side returning to the final next year in Istanbul.
"In the dressing room, nobody feels a great season at this moment, we will probably need a few minutes for that, maybe hours," said Klopp.
"In the end, the two decisions against us were for the smallest margins possible, so that is it.
"We played a good game, not a perfect game, but that would not have been possible against the opponents how the set-up was.
"We had a lot of shots but not the clearest, only three or so where Courtois made top saves, then we concede a goal after a throw-in I think, and that is it.
Liverpool in cup finals across 2021/22 [before penalty shootouts]:
— Planet Sport (@PlanetSportcom) May 28, 2022
330 minutes
0 goals
61 shots
17 shots on target
5.7 expected goals#LFC pic.twitter.com/YIKtrdeTme
"I have the strong feeling we will come again. That is how it is because the boys are really competitive, we have an outstanding group together, we will have (one) again next year and then we go again.
"Where is the final next year? Istanbul? Book the hotel."
Klopp has already added one Champions League title to Liverpool's stacked trophy cabinet, and has reached the final on three ocassions with the Reds.
The 54-year-old can now look forward to a deserved break over the summer before Liverpool's 2022/23 season kicks off with a Community Shield showdown against rivals Manchester City.
