Klopp: Super Cup was like a boxing match

Jurgen Klopp praised his side’s battling spirit in the Super Cup, claiming the game was like a boxing match.

Liverpool won the match 5-4 on penalties after extra time was needed to separate the sides with the score locked at 2-2.

The Reds’ boss was proud of the way his team fought throughout the match, to claim their fourth Super Cup title.

The German said: “Both teams showed character, Chelsea showed character as well. It was like a boxing match, both were swaying, proper knocks from both sides, but nobody wanted 30 minutes extra time, that was a killer.”

“We came through. I saw a really good Chelsea side, but we had good moments. We started well but then we dropped too deep, we couldn’t hold onto the football tonight, but it makes no sense.”

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Liverpool have already played in the Community Shield against Manchester City, a Premier League opening win against Norwich and now the Super Cup in Turkey, in what has been a hectic opening to the campaign for the Reds.

Klopp felt his players have had to fight hard as a result. He explained: “It’s really early in the season and it is already our third competitive game without a pre-season, so we have to fight, and boys did tonight so it is all good.”

The 52-year-old reserved special praise for his new goalkeeper Adrian, who made a number of saves during the game and saved the final spot kick to win Liverpool the game. The boss even pulled out another boxing reference to describe the Spaniard.

He joked: “What a story. Hey Adrian, like Rocky. Wonderful story. He is really loud in the dressing room already. His Spanish emotions came out tonight, it is so nice for him.

“He hasn’t won a lot in his life so it is nice for him to win a big one and play a big part as well. incredible saves from both goalkeepers by the way. I am really happy for the boys.”

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