Jurgen Klopp says facing Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid is football’s ‘ultimate test’

On Feb 21, 2023

Jurgen Klopp was put through torture rewatching Champions League final against Real Madrid as he prepares for ‘football’s ultimate test’ again.

Liverpool face the reigning European champions in a rerun of last season’s decider in Paris. Klopp put off watching the 1-0 defeat until last weekend as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with Carlo Ancelotti’s side again.

The Reds boss said: “We played this final in Paris and I didn’t watch it back since then until this weekend and the thing I realised immediately was now I know why I didn’t watch it back but I had to.

“It was proper torture because we played a good game and could have won the game – and that’s the decisive word because we could but didn’t because they scored and we didn’t and that’s the decisive reason.”

Klopp’s Liverpool also lost the 2018 final to Real and in 2021 they were dumped out in the quarter-finals by the Spanish giants. That was under Zinedine Zidane but now they are still a European force under veteran boss Ancelotti, who has won four European Cups as a manager – more than any other boss.

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Carlo Ancelotti got the better of Jurgen Klopp in Paris last season
(Image: PA)

Klopp described facing Real Madrid as the “ultimate test”
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Asked if facing Ancelotti’s Real is football’s ultimate test, Klopp said: “Yeah, they are. Carlo is the most relaxed manager I met in my life, one of the best people you could meet, fantastic humble person, super-smart and nice and his man-management is on a completely different level to anyone. I admire him a lot.

“With this world-class team, they brought in super exciting young players, they struggle a little in the league but are always super competitive and difficult to beat so this combination is a difficult one but I think it makes sense to try.”