Jurgen Klopp predicts UCL final return: Book the hotel in Istanbul

Jurgen Klopp blows a kiss after Liverpool's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has predicted his Reds side will be back in the Champions League final against next season.

Klopp was left frustrated as Liverpool dominated against Real Madrid at the Stade de France on Saturday night, but were unable to find a way past an inspired Thibaut Courtois in Paris and ended up losing out to a Vinicius Junior goal in the second half.

"It's not bad to get to the final," the German told BT Sport after the 1-0 defeat to Los Blancos. "It's a kind of success. Not the success you want to have.

"I have a strong feeling we'll come again. The boys are really competitive. It's an outstanding group together. We will have an outstanding group next season.

"Where's it next season? Istanbul? Book the hotel."

Klopp's Liverpool also lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 final and bounced back from that disappointing defeat by beating Tottenham in the 2019 showpiece in Madrid.

And a return to Istanbul, scene of Liverpool's epic comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, would be quite the story for the Reds.

Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.