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Former Liverpool midfielder James Milner recently opened up about how Jurgen Klopp inspired the Reds to win the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League to win their sixth major European title. Before reaching the final, the Reds recorded a historic comeback against Barcelona in the semi-finals.
After losing 3-0 at Camp Nou, Jurgen Klopp's side overcame the deficit by defeating Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield. Talking about the triumph, former Liverpool midfielder James Milner revealed that Jurgen Klopp asked the players to believe in themselves. He said (via the High Performance podcast):
“And of course, that semi-final against Barcelona was a big moment. When Klopp said, ‘No one believes us but I do,’ that gave us the belief we could. That took us on and to win the final.”
The Reds came second in the Premier League that season after picking up 97 points. Moreover, Liverpool were playing their second consecutive final as they fumbled (3-1) in the last match of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League against Real Madrid.
Milner revealed that he never doubted his club and added:
“The big one for me was losing the Champions League final, coming back a year later and losing the league with 97 points. I don’t think any team would have got over that, that final was really big and there wasn’t a moment where I doubted us."
After eight years at Anfield, James Milner joined Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this year in the summer transfer window on a free transfer.
Liverpool are considering signing Barcelona defender: Reports
According to 90Min, Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. Apart from the Reds, the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle, and Chelsea are also interested in signing the Uruguayan defender.
Defender Joel Matip has suffered an ACL injury, which has possibly sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. Moreover, Matip's contract is set to expire at the end of the season and the Reds are unlikely to offer the 31-year-old a new contract.
As a result, Jurgen Klopp is reportedly looking forward to signing a new central defender in the upcoming transfer window. According to the same report, Barcelona are unlikely to sell to the Uruguayan defender in January. However, the Reds are still keeping an eye on Ronald Araujo's situation.
The Reds were also recently linked with Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix. However, Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has dismissed these rumors.
