Final countdown: Klopp: ‘I’ll take the heat. The players have nothing to lose.’

Jurgen Klopp has delivered his final pre-match press conference from Kiev, initially flanked by captain Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk.

And the Liverpool manager insisted that he bears the pressure of a bad result - insisting the players have nothing to lose.

He was asked if it was his job to take pressure of the players and he interjected a forceful 'Yes' before expanding.

'We have always had an agreement since we started working together.

I am responsible for the defeats. The boys are responsible for the wins.

They have nothing to lose. That's the deal.

The Liverpool boss continued to praise his players for the excellent campaign that has seen them arrive in the final.

A champions league final is big, really big and for a manager you have a lot of things to do - some in training but also about being cool and calm. After the last final (with Dortmund) I knew I wanted to be here again.

And I'm here because my boys gave me that chance again.'

He was asked about Zidane's 3rd consecutive Champions League final and his abilities as a manager.

'Zidane for me one of the best 5 players of all time in football and now he can win the 3rd European Cup in 3 years. I, unfortunately, have to expect that he is going to be brilliant tomorrow. (Madrid) are all world class players. But, it's football... That's enough of a chance for me.'

'I've said it before, experience is very important, and I'm sure in the final second before the game Madrid will be more confident than we are. But the game lasts longer than that second. And they've not played us. Nobody expected us to be here. We are here, because we are Liverpool.'

Liverpool will have brief training in front of the media at the Olympic stadium in Kiev before heading back to their hotel in preparation for tomorrow evening's game.

VIDEO: Jurgen Klopp, Van Dijk, Jordan Henderson UEFA Champions League Final Press Conference

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