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What's the story?
Jose Mourinho praised Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool's Champions League victory against Tottenham Hotspur last night.
In case you didn't know...
It was Liverpool's second consecutive Champions League final appearance after they finished as runners-up last year. Klopp's side went a step further this time and lifted the coveted trophy for the sixth time in the club's history.
This is Klopp's first major trophy since 2012. Liverpool also finished their Premier League campaign in second place with 97 points, missing out on the title by a single point to Manchester City.
Liverpool broke the deadlock in the second minute through a penalty converted by Mohamed Salah. Klopp's starting eleven started the game brightly but dropped their intensity after 20 minutes, as a demanding EPL season and Madrid's warm weather took their toll.
Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham side never made a serious impact on the final as Harry Kane looked rusty due to prolonged spell on the sidelines and the lack of urgency in midfield. In the 87th minute, Divock Origi slotted past Hugo Lloris to seal the victory for Liverpool.
The heart of the matter
Jose Mourinho spoke to Sky Sports and said it would be hard for Klopp to lose third European final for Liverpool. He explained,
"If Jurgen wins, it's an incredible achievement for him,"
"If Jurgen doesn't win, you know... to lose three Champions League finals... phew... that has to be really, really hard.
"But he is a very positive guy, I'm sure he's just thinking about winning."
He also praised Klopp by saying,
"A manager who reached three Champions League Finals, it's hard to lose one, must be very, very hard to lose two and today I think it's a phenomenal day of his life, of his career. As a colleague, I’m very happy with it."
What's next?
The Portuguese manager is out of the job since his sacking at Manchester United and is currently mulling over his future.
Liverpool ended their 2018/19 campaign with a UCL victory and will begin their preparation for next season with a friendly against Borussia Dortmund.
