Sparta is not a small club. Now it can focus on the title fight, says Jürgen Klopp

The Europa League semi-final clearly showed the huge difference between Liverpool and the current Fortuna League leader. Despite this, Sparta had a successful season in the European Cups. “Now they can concentrate on fighting for the title,” Jürgen Klopp said.

Jürgen Klopp doesn’t see Sparta as a small club

The German strategist left nothing to chance and fielded a very strong line-up for the match against Sparta. This is despite the fact that the opening game was won by the current second Premier League team by 5:1.

The difference in the quality of both teams was evident on the pitch from the first minutes. Sparta scored four times in the opening 14 minutes to decide the fate of the match.

Thanks to a goal by 26-year-old Veljko Birmančević, the scoreboard showed a 6:1 score at the end of the match. It was the third debacle in a row for the team of Danish coach Brian Priske, who lost 0:4 at the Doosan Arena over the weekend.

“It’s always obvious before every game like this. If a team with more quality shows a good attitude, which we did, it’s difficult. I worked in Germany for a long time in a smaller club – Sparta is not a small club – but I worked in Mainz. You can win the game, but you need help from the opponent,” Jürgen Klopp said at the post-match press conference.

“We didn’t give the opponent a chance. It’s a very difficult week for Sparta, but I feel the fans enjoyed the trip to Anfield Road as much as the home game,” continued the German strategist, who will take a break from coaching after the end of the current campaign.

Sparta can focus on the title fight

“For the rest of the season they can focus on the title fight. If they deal with it correctly, which I have no doubt they will, it can only help them,” the four-time Champions League finalist said of Sparta. The latter will welcome Hradec Kralove at home on Sunday.

Liverpool thus remain in the game on three fronts. It will play Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, is only a point behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League and will find out its opponents for the Europa League quarter-finals during Friday.

Given their EFL Cup triumph in February, in which they beat Chelsea in the final, Liverpool can still think about winning four trophies in one season.

Source: Liverpool FC, UEFA