Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp collected his fifth successive losers medal after the Reds’ 3-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
Liverpool had been hoping to end their 15-year wait for Europa League glory having last won the competition, as the UEFA Cup, in a nine-goal thriller against Deportivo Alaves in 2001.
It means five-time European champions Liverpool have not won a European trophy since their stunning comeback victory over AC Milan in the final of the Champions League in 2005, reports AFP.
Klopp, meanwhile, now has a fifth successive losers medal from his past five finals, the last of which came in February when Liverpool lost the League Cup final on penalties to Manchester City.
In Klopp’s last match as manager of Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga side suffered a 3-1 defeat to Wolfsburg in the German Cup final — the second successive setback in the competition after an extra-time defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2014 final.
But the defeat that arguably hurt the Liverpool manager most came against Bayern in the all-German final of the Champions League in 2013 when Arjen Robben hit a late winner for the Bavarian giants.
“I promise everybody we will use it (Wednesday’s loss) and come back stronger. It was 50-60% of our usual quality and we have to accept that. We will come back,” said Klopp after the game.
Meanwhile, Klopp admitted his team became nervous after they lost the Europa league final 3-1 to Sevilla on Wednesday.
Daniel Sturridge scored a fine goal to put the English side ahead in the first half but Sevilla equalised seconds after the interval and ran out comfortable winners to win Europe’s second-tier club competition for the third year in a row.
“We had our chance, 1-0 at halftime is usually good,” Klopp said.
“Their first goal was not really a problem but we lost faith in our style of play. Didn’t defend well. Nervous.”
Defeat meant Liverpool will not play in European competition next season after finishing eighth in the Premier League.
“We have to use this experience in the right way. But for tonight it is disappointing and frustrating,” Klopp said.
“My players have to have belief. Still we are surprised by our good things. The goals were too easy. We lost faith in the second half and it is not enough in a final.”
German Klopp, who took over as manager last year, accepted his share of the responsibility for the defeat.
“Tonight we couldn’t reach our level – my job is to help the boys to see our opportunity and not feel the pressure so much,” he said.
“I’m responsible for this performance too. We are responsible for not being in Europe next year so we have to use this time. I promise everybody that we will come back stronger, 100 percent.”