Klopp Confident: Liverpool Poised for Europa League Triumph with Enhanced Readiness

Jurgen Klopp is adamant that Liverpool's aim in the Europa League is to secure victory, as they arrive in Linz with the intention to compete rather than provide opportunities. On Thursday, the Reds will face LASK, marking their return to a tournament they last participated in during the 2016 final, where they suffered a loss to Sevilla in Klopp's inaugural season at the helm.

Liverpool have triumphed in the Champions League, making it to two additional finals. They have also secured victories in the Premier League, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup, and Carabao Cup. Despite these accomplishments, Klopp has yet to conquer the Europa League, an absence he is determined to rectify in his almost-eight-year tenure at Anfield.

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None of Liverpool's 2016 Europa League final squad remain at Anfield

"We are here to compete, not to give opportunities," he said.

In my first year, I initially believed that the Europa League was too challenging for our team, but our perspective changed once we reached the final. Our journey included a trip to Russia and a match on a frozen pitch in Sion.

During that time, we had a different squad and were not fully prepared, but we managed to overcome obstacles in a remarkable manner. It was not until the quarter-final and semi-final stages that we truly showcased exceptional performances.

It's a new era, a new squad. We're more well-equipped and genuinely relish being here, as we were completely in the dark back then about what to anticipate.

We need to stay driven and our enthusiasm for participating in the Europa League is sky-high. I deliberately abstained from watching the Champions League matches this week, and I didn't feel an ounce of longing for the anthem.

None of the players from the 2016 final squad are still at Anfield, except for Joe Gomez, who was 18 at the time but was injured. He is now the only current player who has experience playing in the Europa League for Liverpool.

Despite some significant changes to the team this summer, the essential group of players who won the trophy still remain, and Klopp's side is now the clear favorite to surpass their performance from seven years ago.

Liverpool must embrace Europa League - and try to win Klopp's missing trophy

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Jurgen Klopp is aiming for Europa League glory as he looks to add the only major piece of silverware that has eluded him so far

We' Joe Shread:

So after eight seasons in the Champions League, it's back to the Europa League for Liverpool.

Liverpool have not participated in Europe's second-tier tournament since 2015/16, which was Jurgen Klopp's inaugural full season at Anfield. However, they had an impressive journey that season, reaching the final before ultimately being defeated by the renowned Europa League experts, Sevilla. Since then, Klopp has made significant progress with the team, surpassing the era when players like Simon Mignolet and Nathaniel Clyne were prominent contributors during their Europa League campaign.

Klopp now has a team filled with talented players. Although Van Dijk and Salah may not be thrilled about playing in the Europa League, Klopp will encourage his players to fully embrace the experience. Liverpool's strong position as favorites to win the tournament is evident when looking at the eight groups. Additionally, the opportunity to play the final in Dublin, which is home to numerous Liverpool fans and conveniently close to Anfield, serves as additional motivation.

Liverpool should be motivated by the fact that winning the Europa League is the only major trophy that Klopp has yet to claim at the club. In light of their infrequent participation in the tournament, Liverpool should seize the opportunity and maximize their experience in the Europa League.