What will it mean? Jurgen Klopp scrunched his face up as he considered the question and cast his mind back to all the thrills and excitement.
Liverpool have been Europe’s travelling minstrels, routing those who have stood in their way with breathtaking displays of football. The goals have flowed at home, too, with the 5-2 trouncing of Roma eight days ago putting them on the brink of another date in the Champions League final.
Being so close, though, means they are still so far away. Liverpool have been the nearly men for too long, getting into great positions and not finishing the job. Klopp and his players know the potential to lose to opponents for whom he has huge respect remains real.
Jurgen Klopp is hoping to lead Liverpool to their first piece of silverware in six years
As he talked about their quality, he was reminded of a quote he gave two years ago. Before the Europa League semi-final in Villarreal, Klopp colourfully said: ‘If you use experience in the wrong way, it is bull****!’ — the message being that an astonishing comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the previous round would mean nothing if they didn’t reach the final.
What if they do not now reach Kiev? Will the 38 goals Liverpool have plundered stand for anything? Klopp gathered his thoughts and then acknowledged that the moment has come for this group to add substance to their undisputed style.
‘I really can’t remember saying that,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘I was probably angry that everybody thought when we had been drawn with Villarreal, ‘OK, now we have to win it!’ Maybe I said it!
‘But I don’t think that people are interested in semi-final losers. It is the same as final losers. I could write a book about that — we all know that.
‘But the only way to win something is to go the whole way. Football, as in life, if you are not ready to lose you cannot win.
‘You try everything you can to win — there are no guarantees that you will get it — but it is the only chance that you try.
‘So, right now, I don’t feel like we are in the final. I only care about these 95 minutes or longer, I don’t know.
‘We don’t judge ourselves. We are always judged by the public and other people. If someone thinks, ‘I still enjoyed it so far’ then good. If they think the season has no value because we don’t win it, then we can’t change that as well.’
The German is preparing his side for their Champions League semi-final against Roma
But Klopp is the man who has to change a trend. It is now more than six years since a Liverpool captain hoisted silverware and the German, for all that he doesn’t get bogged down in history, appreciates that this represents a critical period.
They have assembled one of the finest forward lines in world football, the most expensive defender in history stands like a colossus in the middle of their back four and on July 1, the Guinea international Naby Keita — another £50million-plus investment — will arrive from RB Leipzig.
Liverpool’s squad has been assembled to win, the players are desperate to win and so is the manager.
It is why getting the job done on Wednesday night in the Stadio Olimpico — and then completing it on May 26 — has taken on such importance.
‘We need to deliver and the good news is we now have a real group of players,’ Klopp said
‘We are Liverpool so somebody kicks our ass constantly,’ said Klopp. ‘It is ‘make the next step! Make the next step!’.
‘It is not possible in this club to stand still. We need to deliver and the good news is we now have a real group of players.
‘I really think it is difficult to improve it a lot. The guys on the other side of the fence always look a little bit nicer but we can be stronger. This team can still develop and we will bring in a few fresh legs as well, because we need them for being on a high level constantly.
‘A lot of things are really good but you must not be afraid that players do not know their responsibility to be successful. In the end, there will be a team at Liverpool at one point that wins silverware. We all hope that we are involved in that.’
And if they are, it will mean the world.
Liverpool’s squad has been assembled to win, the players are desperate to win and so is Klopp