Jurgen Klopp has expressed his excitement at the thought of finally being able to lift the Premier League trophy with Liverpool, describing the feeling as 'like Christmas'.
The Reds will lift the trophy at Anfield on Wednesday night following their game against Chelsea, almost a month after they were confirmed as Premier League champions for the first time in their history.
Speaking to the press ahead of their match against Chelsea, Klopp stated that the moment will be 'one of the greatest days of [his] life' and likened it to Christmas Day, jovially saying: "We have been champions for a month now. A bit like Christmas, you know you're getting a specific present but you are still excited.
He also said he was 'delighted' to be able to achieve the feat and credited his squad for dealing with setbacks - such as finishing runners up in the 2018/19 season with a record points total - but also urged fans to celebrate at home.
"I can understand it is tricky [to stay at home]. We don't want to say it is completely wrong but it is not right," Klopp continued. "We cannot excuse one wrong thing with another. This situation is different to any other we've faced. We will have this party when appropriate."
Despite this being the first league title Liverpool have won in 30 years, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic means that fans cannot enjoy a full parade as usual with trophy celebrations. A full parade is expected later in the year, when it is safe to do so.
"We are lifting it for you – you’ve driven us to achieving this dream. But this club’s values are about taking care of each other and that means supporting us from home and in safe environments." ✊
— Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions ?) (@LFC) July 21, 2020
An important message from our captain... #StaySafe #LFCchampions
Before they lift the trophy, they face a tough 90 minutes against Frank Lampard's Blues, who are still fighting to secure Champions League qualification next season. He admitted that the fixture will be a 'challenge' with one eye on the celebrations, but confirmed his side were focused and intent on performing on the pitch.
Liverpool fans can also expect to see Kenny Dalglish as a part of the celebrations on Wednesday evening. The Anfield legend acted as a player, and then player/manager throughout their most successful periods of the 1980s, and came on as a substitute during the game that secured them their last league title win in 1990.
Source : 90min