May 20, 2016. All Liverpool fans were gearing up for their second final of the campaign. But this match was more important than any other match of their season. It was a Europa League final! A chance for them to conquer Europe and qualify for next year’s Champions league.
The Reds had defeated the likes of Manchester United, Dortmund and Villareal to reach the finals. Defending champions Sevilla were their last hurdle. But the Spanish side didn't look like the same team they were in their previous two campaigns. In their whole season they couldn't win a single away game. Odds, form and experts were all backing Liverpool to stop Sevilla from winning their third successive Europa League title.
The Merseyside club started the game strongly, not allowing Sevilla to create any major chances. Daniel Sturridge broke the deadlock and Liverpool took the lead in the closing stages of the first half. They were just 45 minutes away from winning the Europa League title.
But within 20 minutes of the second half Sevilla scored thrice and match was all but finished. Both teams looked completely opposite of each other in the second half.
No Liverpool fan will ever forget this night. They were so close but yet so far. But this isn't the end of the world for Liverpool. What they saw in the second half of their season is a sign that they're getting better. Who knows, this might be blessing in disguise for them.
For the first time since the 1997-98 season Liverpool were playing without their club legend and club captain Steven Gerrard in their squad. The team was set for another revamp after they failed to utilize the money they received from the sale of Luis Suarez. Lovren, Balotelli, Markovic, Lambert and to some extent Lallana all failed to prove themselves in their first season at the club.
Brendan Rodgers had once said that if you spend 100 million and don’t end up in top 4 then it is a failure (referring to Tottenham). Well he was right, but those words came back to haunt him after he himself ended up doing the same mistake.
Markovic, Balotelli and Lambert were shipped off to Fenerbahce, AC Milan and West Brom respectively, with the first two loaned out while Lambert was sold. Even Sterling handed in a transfer request and they were forced to sell one of their prized assets to their rivals Manchester City for £49 million. This time though, the money was invested wisely.
Firmino (one of the sensations of Bundesliga), Benteke and Clyne joining them for huge fees. Liverpool also bought Danny Ings and James Milner on free transfers. Origi returned after his loan spell at Lille. Joe Gomez, though relatively unknown, was also bought as a backup for Moreno.
After a busy summer, Liverpool's season started very slowly as they only managed three wins in their first 10 league games. In the Europa League they drew their first three matches. Discontent among the fans grew and the pressure on Rodgers also piled up as the summer signings failed to perform for the second successive season.
Banners of “Rodgers Out” flew over the stadium during the matches. The odds of Rodgers getting sacked were slashed and his exit seemed imminent after they failed to win against their struggling Merseyside rivals Everton. Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp were lined up as his potential replacements.
A new beginning
Eventually, Klopp was the chosen one as he ended his sabbatical after leaving Dortmund in the summer. Finally there was a feeling of optimism around the Kop! Klopp's aggressive style of play and his character were well suited to Liverpool and there were big expectations that he would turn their fortunes around.
Even his career at Liverpool started slowly, but he managed to remain unbeaten in his first six matches. Those six games included a draw against the high flying Spurs at White Hart Lane and a win against Mourinho’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. His unbeaten run was ended by Pardew’s Palace, but in the very next match he managed to mastermind a 4-1 away win against one of the title contenders Manchester City.
The season was proving to be a rollercoaster one, with regular ups and downs. With Klopp implementing his high pressing style of play, Liverpool became prone to injuries. No one at this stage would have expected Liverpool to end up playing in two finals by the end of the season. But Klopp did turn Liverpool's season around, even if his finals curse continued as his side lost both the finals.
Klopp prioritized cup competitions over the league and his decision proves to be the correct one. They lost those crucial matches but there is a feeling of positivity around the Kop that a title winning season isn't too far away.
Regaining their dominance in Europe
Klopp's team showed their character by winning against Dortmund and Villarreal at home after being down in each tie. They have turned Anfield into a fortress and every opposition would fear them when they come to play at this stadium.
To win titles it is always necessary that the team turns its home ground into a fortress and makes the most of the home advantage. Klopp has succeeded in that and as things stand, their glory days don't seem to be too far away.
Against Sevilla in the Europa League final, Liverpool were the better team in the first half but in the second half they conceded after just 50 odd seconds and ended up losing 3-1. After conceding in the opening minutes of the second half they lost their way and played one of their worst halves of the season.
Every Liverpool fan would have been heartbroken after they came so close to conquering Europe. To be honest though, they lost to a far superior team. But this might be a blessing in disguise for them.
Preparing for the next season without European nights
Next season, Liverpool won't be playing in Europe as they finished the season eighth in the league and lost the Europa League final. This means that they won't be playing in the Champions League either. Liverpool will therefore be fully focused on the Premier League next season and it is fair to say that if they continue playing like they did at the end of the current season, they have a huge chance of finishing in the top 4 or who knows, maybe even winning the Premier League.
With no distraction of playing on weekdays, they'll have ample time to recover and train for the league matches and there won't be any fatigue related issues. After finishing the season strongly they will be high on confidence and would be raring to go.
Busy summer ahead for Liverpool
Klopp will be able to build a team of his own this summer rather than playing with an inherited team. This will be a busy period for Liverpool with the likes of Matip, Grujic and Karius already signed and Zielinski close to joining. Benteke, Toure, Bogdan, Ward, Skrtel, Enrique, etc. will possibly leave the club this summer
Klopp will also help Liverpool attract big names with the likes of Gotze linked with a switch to Merseyside, although not qualifying for Europe might be an obstacle. But if not Gotze, Liverpool can attract other big names too.
Next season Klopp would also be able to count on the likes of Gomez and Ings after they would have recovered from the injuries they suffered this season. If they can keep Daniel Sturridge fit for the whole season, they might become one of the toughest teams to beat because when Sturridge is at his best, it is hard to stop him from scoring.
What should we expect from Liverpool next season?
The Anfield faithful should not be concerned about the loss in the final of the Europa League now as a much brighter future awaits them. Liverpool are 2-3 good signings away from challenging for titles. Just like how Leicester City managed to do the impossible, maybe Liverpool might do it next season if they keep playing with this spirit and work harder.
They've shown that they can compete in Europe and they will be ready to challenge the best teams in the near future. Klopp has already started building his team and let's hope he stays here for many more years and brings those glory days back to Merseyside.
Klopp has the backing of the fans, and he will surely never walk alone!
