‘Nothing can replace the title’: Paul Ince says Liverpool will always rue failing to win the Premier League… even if they lift the Champions League trophy in Madrid
- Manchester City edged out Liverpool in title race that went to final day
- Paul Ince thinks nothing can replace winning Premier League for Reds
- But he admitted that winning Champions League would come close
Even if Liverpool win the Champions League, it will not completely make up for the heartbreak of losing out to Manchester City in the title race, says Paul Ince.
The former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder believes a win over Tottenham this Saturday would come close but not quite cut it.
‘For Liverpool, winning the Champions League wouldn’t make up for losing out on the Premier League title,’ he told Paddy Power News.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are looking to erase their Premier League heartbreak on Saturday
‘The disappointment of losing it on the last day of the season, or of Vincent Kompany’s unbelievable goal against Leicester, will be huge. There’ll be nothing that can replace the league title, but winning the European Cup would come close.
He went on to add that people labelling either side bottlers for losing the Champions League final could not be more wrong.
‘I hear people saying that if Klopp loses this final, he’s a bottler. And let me tell you something right now, people who say things like that – I can’t even find the word to describe them. How can you call Liverpool bottlers?
‘They’ve pushed City to the last game of the season, they’re in the Champions League final and they were in it last year too. Yes, they were nervous and lost out, but they’ve clearly not let it get to them. It’s completely disrespectful to call them or Klopp a bottler.
Paul Ince insists that the Champions League would not make up for missing out on the title
The Reds have been preparing for their showdown with Tottenham with warm-weather training
‘We all know that as a manager you have to win something, some silverware, but Pochettino is in the same position. Both teams have proved that when they need to dig in and get a result.’
Ince does believe that Klopp would need to prioritse silverware of any kind next season if the Reds fall short at the Wanda Metropolitano.
‘The only thing I would say is that if Klopp fails to win this weekend, perhaps it would be a case of putting more focus in securing a League Cup or an FA Cup, to ensure you have trophies in the cabinet and the winning mentality. But to call Liverpool or Klopp a bottler is a disgrace – utterly ridiculous, whether they win or lose on Saturday,’ he added.
