Jurgen Klopp on Sadio Mane transfer rumours; Thiago & Fabinho 'looking good' for final
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told his press conference ahead of the Champions League final that he "couldn't care less" about the rumours linking Sadio Mane with a move to Bayern Munich.
The German goes head-to-head with Real Madrid in a repeat of 2018's final, but the build-up to the match has been dominated by speculation over Mane's future.
The Senegalese international has said he'll reveal his plans for the future after the final, but Klopp was quick to beat away questions from reporters as he settled in to face the media ahead of the showdown in Paris.
"Sadio is in the shape of life, he has been a joy to watch," Klopp said. "Football has asked a lot of him this season. He has been incredibly successful with Senegal
"On the Bayern Munich rumours, I couldn't care less at the moment. Sadio is focused. We have no concerns, it is completely normal. He knows how important this game is. It is not the first time before a big game that Bayern Munich rumours have come up.
"This is the wrong moment to speak about that. Wherever Sadio will play next year, he will be a big player."
Klopp also confirmed that Thiago and Fabinho are on track to feature in the final after recovering from respective injuries, while he also touched on the 2018 defeat to Real Madrid - stating his confidence that his side are more than ready to get their revenge.
"It looks good for Thiago and Fabinho," said Klopp. "Fabinho trained yesterday and Thiago will train later today. The mood is good, very good. Really excited to be here now and getting a feeling for a stadium, location and that is all good."
"Whatever you do, you have to get experience," said Klopp when asked about that game. "When you do a job for the first day, it's not the best day you ever do. You get little success and things here and there, and then on the big stage, you have to deliver.
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"We delivered that night and the circumstances hit us. We arrived pretty much on three wheels. I don't think we even had a full bench, key players came back from injuries.
"Mo happened, then our goalkeeper got a concussion. It was not after, it was during. So it was important. You have to learn to win. Nobody tells you that. I had to learn it the hard way. I lost a lot of finals in my life and thankfully in the last few we could win.
"But now, we play a team who has never lost a final. So, the boys have developed in the last few years enormously. The club is in a good place, everybody is connected. We know we are part of a big club and meanwhile the boys are exactly the right players for this big club. We are in a good moment and are ready for this final."
Should Liverpool win on Saturday, they will complete a cup treble having already lifted the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this season.