Liverpool host Rangers in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night after a 3-3 draw against Brighton in the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp held a pre-match press conference this afternoon and he felt it was necessary to reference Cristiano Ronaldo when trying to excuse his side’s poor form.
Our rivals were held to a 3-3 draw against Brighton at the weekend, and they’ve got just 10 points from seven games. We already know that is not that type of form that will see them competing with Manchester City for the league title this season.
In Europe, Liverpool were beaten 4-1 by Napoli in the first game week before beating Ajax 2-1 prior to the international break.
Klopp says his team are playing on low confidence but cited that even Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have suffered similarly.
Klopp said (via Goal): “People ask how these players aren’t full of confidence but do you think Cristiano Ronaldo, in this moment, is on top of his confidence level? He was the best player in the world but now things are not going his way and it’s not exactly the same.
“It happens to all of us. Lionel Messi played last season that was not exactly the same. These kind of things are really important to all of us and you have to work for it. You have to take the little things to make a step in the right direction and then, the moment when you are ready, it’s back.
“That’s what we are doing. It’s not that we are without confidence but being 2-0 down is not good for confidence and being 3-2 up is really good but you could see, with the first attack they had after it was 3-2, it was still an open game.
“That’s how it happens, especially collectively. In individual sport, you can fight yourself through it but we have to do it together. That makes it a bit more complicated but, that’s it.”
🗣️ “Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo is on top of his confidence right now?”
Jürgen Klopp says even the best players suffer from lack of confidence just like his Liverpool side at the moment. pic.twitter.com/OHalOpk723
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 3, 2022
Footage courtesy of Sky Sports
It is no secret that Ronaldo and Messi are coming to the end of their careers, so is Klopp suggesting that his Liverpool side are facing a similar reality?
It will be interesting to see if the German will stick around the build another squad at Anfield.
Furthermore, I think it’s disrespectful to speak about players at other clubs.
How is Darwin Nunez’s confidence?