Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has lifted the lid on the moment the Reds believed they could win the European Cup for the sixth time and outlined how Jurgen Klopp's side are determined to achieve even more this season.
Beaten 3-0 by Barcelona at the Camp Nou in their Champions League semi-final first leg, Liverpool looked like they might end what had been an amazing 2018/19 campaign empty-handed but a rallying cry from their manager ahead of the return match at Anfield inspired them to pull off a stunning 4-0 comeback and reach the final where they would defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to lift the trophy.
Speaking at the University of Notre Dame ahead of the first game of Liverpool's pre-season tour of the USA against Klopp's former team Borussia Dortmund, Henderson said: “I can remember the team talk before the game, the manager said something like 'If this was any other team they would probably have no chance of coming back and we'd probably be playing for pride' but he said 'because it's you, then I think there's a chance.'
“I think from that moment everyone thought 'let's have a right go' – it felt like a special moment and it gave everyone the confidence to go out and perform and thankfully we managed to do it on the night.”
The Reds skipper also praised Klopp's general influence at the club.
He said: “I think as a person, he's a special person, a special manager, off the pitch and on the pitch.
“He's so good with the lads off the pitch, he'll speak to them.
“He's got a perfect balance of being close to the players but also he's still got to be ruthless and be our manager.
“The knowledge of the game, what we do in training and what we learn from him speaks for itself as you can see how we've performed over the last few seasons.
“We've got to continue to do that and keep learning from him and the staff.
“If we do that and we keep following him there will be more success stories to tell in the future I'm sure.
“He's a fantastic manager to work for and I'm sure anyone who has worked for him will say that. He is very motivational.
“Everybody on the outside can see what he's like as well, what you see is what you get and hopefully he can stay here for a long time.”
Henderson became the fifth Reds skipper to lift the European Cup this year but having tasted success last term the 29-year-old is now determined for more.
He said: “Over the last few seasons we've improved every season. The players we have brought in have strengthened the squad and the ones we've got have improved and got better as we've learned so much from the manager and the staff.
“We just want to continue doing that, progressing as a team, keep learning new things.
“The experience of the Champions League and the Premier League last season can help us.”
Asked where that improvement can come from – without new signings – given that Liverpool have yet to make any major additions, Henderson said: “You never know what's going to happen until the transfer window shuts but for us as a team I'm confident with what we've got.
“You look at the players who have come back from long-term injuries like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana, they can make a big contribution if they can stay fit.
“We've got a very good squad and we're capable of competing on all fronts, in every competition we're in.
“If the manager feels there are players to bring in then we'll welcome them and they will improve us again but if not we've got a fantastic squad of players who are hungry and want more success, will keep improving – we've got a winning mentality.”
Having lifted the European Cup, Henderson now hopes he can become the first Liverpool captain in three decades to lead his side to the League Championship.
He said: “We've shown everyone we can win a major trophy, we want to continue to do that and keep making history for this club.
“We're very confident we can do that. There are a lot of fantastic teams around the Premier League and Europe but we want to keep working, keep focused on what we do, and if we do that we've shown each season we've been improving and we want to get better and we want to continue on that path.”
