As he got engaged with the action at Camp Nou, Barcelona’s memorable second-leg comeback against Paris Saint-German, on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp’s absence from the Champions League is not a source of concern for him and he feels his team does not deserve a spot there.
The Reds had a bad start to the season but took a huge leap towards Champions League qualification with a 3-1 triumph against Arsenal placing them in the top four.
Should Liverpool come through the match against Burnley at home on Sunday in flying colors, it would create a point-gap of five points between them and fifth-placed Arsenal but considering that both Arsenal and sixth-placed Manchester United still has two games to play, Klopp’s side might be overthrown.
In a press conference held on Friday, the German practically insisted that he wasn’t anticipating a spot at the Champions League with most drawn to Camp Nou.
“As a person I’m like this – what I don’t have, I don’t miss because it is pragmatic,” said Klopp. “I don’t miss Champions League because I know we were not good enough to qualify for it.
“I know it is wonderful to play there. I don’t need this feeling in front of the television that I would be highly motivated to go there next year but when I watched it this week, especially the Barcelona game, I thought ‘I love football’.
“It is unbelievable that things like this are possible. It was great to watch of course.”
Klopp said Liverpool might loose their current fourth position on the Premier League, with 11 Premier League games to go, which would make them drop in the race to qualify for the European game.
The Reds had their first defeat of the season in an away match against Burnley and the fails thereafter are to teams in lower half of the table. However they have managed to excelled in games against teams in the top six.
“We would be probably very good in the Champions League [in that case]. We need a wildcard!”
“Of course it is in our hands. In this moment I think we should only think about how we can do it.
“Would it be a disappointment if we don’t reach it? Yes because we think we should qualify for it. Is it possible that we don’t qualify? Yes because of the league, because of the opponents and all that stuff.
“It would be because of us and we have to take that situation like it is. It is our big target of course. We want to do everything to get it.
“There are a lot of games to play, lot of things to do. That is how it is. For nobody it is already decided. As long as we have the opportunity I think we should try everything. It is wonderful to play there and it would be important for the club of course.”