Liverpool's Champions League Celebrations Move To England
2nd June 2019
It was sweet redemption after defeat to Real Madrid in last year's final in Kiev

- Liverpool's celebrations stretched long into the night after they became six-time European champions with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi to beat Tottenham
- The 2-0 win in the sweltering Metropolitano Stadium delivered a first trophy in seven years for Liverpool, and -- finally -- a first win in seven finals for coach Jurgen Klopp
- The final whistle sparked wild scenes among the Liverpool fans in the stadium and back home in northwest England, where the team will have a victory parade on Sunday
MADRID, Spain-
Liverpool's celebrations stretched long into the night after they became
six-time European champions with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi
to beat Tottenham -- and the party was set to move to England on Sunday
where tens of thousands of fans awaited the team's return.
The 2-0 win in the
sweltering Metropolitano Stadium delivered a first trophy in seven years for
Liverpool, and -- finally -- a first win in seven finals for coach Jurgen
Klopp.
The final whistle
sparked wild scenes among the Liverpool fans in the stadium and back home in
northwest England, where the team will have a victory parade on Sunday.
"We were all
pretty much crying on the pitch, because it was so emotional, it was so big, it
means so much to us," Klopp said.
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For Liverpool it was
sweet redemption after defeat to Real Madrid in last year's final in Kiev.
Mohamed Salah, who
emphatically scored a penalty awarded in the very first minute, revealed he had
drawn motivation from the disappointment of that match in which he left the
pitch in tears with a shoulder injury.
"Before the
game, I looked at a picture of last year and we were so disappointed to lose
the final," Salah said.
"I was very
disappointed after that injury, I went off after 30 minutes and we lost the
game. It motivated me to win today. When you know how it feels to lose, you say
to yourself 'Let's go and win that'."
- Guardiola's congratulations -
Klopp revealed he
had received a congratulatory call from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Three weeks ago,
Liverpool were denied a first league title in 30 years by City, despite losing
just once all season.
"We promised
each other already that we will kick our butts next year again," Klopp
said of his brief exchange with Guardiola.
"We will go for
everything and we'll see if we get something."
Liverpool's sixth
success in Europe's top club trophy -- coming after wins in 1977, 1978, 1981,
1984 and 2005 -- masks the fact they have not won the English title since 1990.
Centre-back Virgil
van Dijk, named man of the match, said the team would try to put that right
next season.
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"In July when
we start again, everyone starts on nil and everyone's working towards their
goals," the Dutchman said.
"Obviously we
want to challenge for every trophy if possible. We have the squad for it, but
you've also seen it this year, you still have to do it, and hopefully we can
challenge Manchester City again next season for the title."
Liverpool had won
nothing since beating Cardiff City on penalties in the 2012 League Cup final.
After losing the
Europa League final in 2016 and last year's Champions League final, Liverpool
seized their chance.
Salah scored the
penalty after Sadio Mane's attempted cross within seconds of the start struck
Tottenham defender Moussa Sissoko and was adjudged to be handball.
Harry Kane and Son
Heung-min laboured for Spurs but a match that never hit the heights was put to
bed by a late strike from Origi, a forward who had played only a bit role for
much of the season.
- 'Only the start' -
Liverpool were
already a club reborn under Klopp's management, but such a tangible reward was
needed, three and a half years on from his arrival on Merseyside.
"I'm interested
really in development, but I get it, we have to win things, and so it's really
important that people don't ask now all the time about not winning
things," Klopp said.
"Now we won
something, and we will carry on, we want to win things, 100 percent.
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"This is only
the start for this group, it's a wonderful age group, they still have the best
times in their career still ahead of them, so that's big."
Twelve months after
two glaring errors by Loris Karius cost them dear against Real, his replacement
Alisson showed just why Liverpool were prepared to pay £66.8 million (75
million euros, $84 million) to sign the Brazilian from Roma as he made several
key saves late in the game.
"He of course
played a sensational game, he looked completely unbeatable pretty much,"
said Klopp.
Van Dijk was again
outstanding, snuffing out Kane's threat.
In Madrid, Liverpool
fans who had swarmed into the city were overjoyed.
"Unbelievable,
I can't believe we did it again. What a club. What a fan base. What a team.
That's what we are all about," one supporter, 32-year-old Craig Williams,
told AFP.