Dejan Lovren: Everything is possible with Liverpool
Dejan Lovren joined Jürgen Klopp at Melwood’s top table to answer questions from journalists about Liverpool’s Europa League semi-final, second-leg clash with Villarreal. Here’s what the defender had to say…
On what his winning goal against Dortmund meant to him…
I hope that it will not start like it did against Dortmund because we didn’t expect to and be 2-0 down and then after half-time 3-1! It was an historical game for us, for me and the fans. We showed our character and we showed we will never stop believing until the last minute. But we definitely don’t want to repeat this game – I would say we want to repeat it [more] smoothly to win tomorrow. I will remember it for all of my lifetime.
On the fans’ welcoming the team bus into Anfield against Dortmund…
To be honest, I was surprised because I hadn’t seen that before. I took my phone out in the bus and took some pictures, so did some of the other lads also. It was amazing. Our fans are our 12th player during the game, during the 90 minutes, so with them everything is possible.
On Leicester City winning the Premier League…
I am really pleased for Leicester. They really deserved to win the Premier League. They had a great, consistent season without ups and downs. I would say they had a lot of luck with injuries and one game a week, but it is not an excuse for the others. They’ve defended clever tactically and they have one of the best scorers this season in Vardy, so they definitely deserve to win the Premier League.
On keeping calm and playing until the end…
[It will be] maybe even more than 90 minutes, so like I said – we need to be clever enough. We don’t just have 20 minutes to play the game, we have 90 minutes so everything is possible. The fans know and are expecting a massive game, but we will take it smarter than the last time [against Dortmund]. It would be a great season for us if we go to the final and win it.
On Liverpool’s development under Klopp…
I am surprised, [but] I think everyone expected it because – and it’s not because Jürgen is here next to me! – he is a big manager. He showed that previously with Dortmund and with Mainz. He is a positive man and he brings the positive energy to the club. Everyone knows that. Like he said in the beginning, [he wants to turn people] from doubters to believers, so next season will be a different thing.
On coping with expectation…
I think even before Dortmund, in 2005 the fans knew that with Liverpool everything is possible. We have great, great players. We have great characters within the team. It will not be the same game as against Dortmund. I still think now Dortmund was one of the best teams in the Europa League and we won against them. It will definitely be a tough game. Villarreal are a really good, compact team with really good individual players. I would say they’re a perfect counter-attacking team.
On the prospect of Villarreal scoring an away goal…
We have been disappointed [in the past] when we’ve conceded a goal in the last minute but in the end, if you want to win you need to score. We just need to be clever and patient. We need to play our game and we will have our chances. But in the end, when you attack, you need to defend. I believe in our team. We have shown so many times this season we can play when we are 1-0 or 2-0 down. We need to believe in ourselves and if we do that, I think we can get to the final.
On what it’d mean to get to the final having missed the Capital One Cup final through injury…
It would be a dream come true for me, for the fans and for everyone else. We can save this season with the final, but in the end we have to play the game against Villarreal. It’s a big step to this, so we just need to be concentrated on our game.