90min

Jurgen Klopp sets new Liverpool record with latest win in Europe

  • Jurgen Klopp has won 50 games as Liverpool manager in Europe
  • Rafa Benitze record broken with victory over LASK in Europa League
  • Klopp has taken Liverpool to four European finals since being hired

By Jamie Spencer

Jurgen Klopp has reached half a century of Liverpool wins in Europe
Jurgen Klopp has reached half a century of Liverpool wins in Europe / Christian Hofer/GettyImages
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Jurgen Klopp set a new Liverpool record with his team's 3-1 Europa League group stage victory over LASK on Thursday evening, having now won more games in European competitions than any other manager in the history of the club.

Last season's 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League group stage was Klopp's 49th for Liverpool in Europe, equalling the record held by Rafa Benitez.

Thanks to goals from Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah to come from behind in Austria, Klopp moved on to 50 to stand alone and set a new benchmark.

It is more than club legends Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, the latter of whom won three European Cups during his nine years at the helm. However, a respectful Klopp was quick to point out that the modern nature of European football means his team have played far more games.

Jurgen Klopp
Klopp stands alone in Liverpool history / Christian Hofer/GettyImages

The German coach also said it will mean nothing if Liverpool don't keep winning to progress from the group stage in a competition they have vowed to take seriously this season.

"Let me say it like this, if I still have 50 after the group stage then I'm still the most successful Liverpool manager [in this regard] and everybody will hate the fact!" he said.

"[It's] nice [to have the record]. We played quite a lot of games in Europe. It's good that we won that many, we have qualified for four finals. It's great but probably it's because in European competition there are just much more games than in the past. I'm pretty sure that’s the reason."

Liverpool reached the 2016 Europa League final within a few months of Klopp taking charge, before then getting to the Champions League final two years later. They lost on both occasions, but then beat Tottenham to lift the Champions League trophy in 2019.

A fourth European final with Liverpool followed for Klopp in 2022, with Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, the same side they had lost to in 2018.

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