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LONDON. — Fuelled by the pain of their failed English Premier League football title bid, Liverpool stars admit they are desperate to win the club’s sixth European Cup when they face Tottenham in Saturday’s Champions League final.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will be motivated by a burning sense of injustice in the all-Premier League clash at the Wanda Metropolitano.

A win against Tottenham in Madrid would give Liverpool their first Champions League crown since Rafael Benitez’s underdogs stunned AC Milan in 2005 with one of the all-time great comebacks.

From their first European Cup coronation against Borussia Monchengladbach in 1977 to hard-fought wins over Bruges, Real Madrid and Roma in 1978, 1981 and 1984, all of Liverpool’s continental final victories have a special place in the hearts of their fans.

But the “Miracle of Istanbul” will forever be etched in Liverpool history as arguably the club’s most memorable moment in the competition.

When Klopp’s team held a seven-point lead at the top of the table in mid-January, the Kop faithful dreamt that Liverpool’s 29-year wait to win the English title was about to reach a glorious end.

That three-decade barren period has been a source of constant frustration at Anfield.
But Liverpool’s hearts were broken again as Manchester City reeled off a remarkable 14-game winning run that brought them a second successive title and left Klopp still looking for the first trophy of his four-year reign.

It would be cruel for such a dynamic side to finish empty-handed, especially after they authored an escape act for the ages with a 4-0 semi-final win over Barcelona that overturned a 3-0 first leg deficit.

After watching helplessly as City took the title on the last day of the season, Reds midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum says Liverpool are taking heart from having their destiny in their own hands in Madrid.

“Everyone is really focused and determined to win a trophy, especially because we’ve had a really good year,” Wijnaldum said.
“It was a great year with 97 points in the league, but unfortunately, we didn’t end as champions, so that’s why we want to finish this season with a trophy.

“In the last game of the season, we couldn’t control things in the league because it wasn’t in our hands.
“Now, it’s different, it’s a final, so we’re going to try to make the best of it and win the game.”

And, as if they need any more motivation, Liverpool have the added incentive of avenging last season’s 3-1 Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid.

“Last year’s final, I didn’t watch anything back, to be fair, besides the goals. It was a very tough day, but there were so many lessons out of that day,” Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk said. — AFP.