InterviewThiago Alcantara on jokes with Klopp, chasing silverware and a 'final' at Southampton
Channeling the desire to win and lift more silverware is the best recovery possible as Liverpool battle a tight turnaround for another 'final', Thiago Alcantara believes.
The 2021-22 Emirates FA Cup winners turn their attention to Premier League matters on Tuesday evening when they travel to Southampton to face Ralph Hasenhuttl's men.
Having tasted success at Wembley at the weekend, Thiago and his teammates are out to ensure the title race with Manchester City goes into the final day of the campaign.
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"We have another final tomorrow," the No.6 told Liverpoolfc.com to preview the trip to St Mary's. "And if we do our stuff tomorrow, we have another final on Sunday.
"That's it for us. It's game by game, all the players be available for the manager and it's about finals now.
"What I've learned with all those years is the hate of losing is the worst feeling we can have, so you have to avoid that feeling.
"You don't play to lose but when you have the focus that you have to score goals, the win comes. You are just saying, 'In the game I have to dominate them and I have to score all the goals that are possible for our team' and then comes a win.
"This hunger, it remains inside us the whole season and we keep having this run."
Jürgen Klopp revealed in his press conference after the FA Cup final that he told Thiago, 'If I would have known what a player you are, I would have signed you four years earlier.'
The midfielder responded to him by claiming the Reds boss had taught him 'running' in his two seasons on Merseyside.
"We're a pair that love jokes," Thiago said, explaining the conversation. "It was a very charismatic and humble moment between us both and we were very happy with the FA Cup that we achieved.
"We were talking about the good stuff that we learned, just having fun but serious at the same point. It was about the style of team that he created.
"We have to chase the ball, open up all the field. I was in a couple of teams where we love to dominate the game, we have to be in the other team's half of the field.
"Now we have to chase them over, so you have to learn that and how to behave in all the situations. It was a great experience as well."
Saturday's victory secured Thiago his first FA Cup winner's medal, adding to the incredible collection he amassed with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
It's a habit he doesn't want to shake as he looks to continue gathering more in a Liverpool shirt, having arrived in September 2020.
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He said: "That's why in life you need some new challenges, new things.
"Fortunately, I was in two very successful teams and now I'm here at Liverpool – another one – with the aim to win all trophies possible.
"The trophy is like the end of a job, end of a student life. So now we are just trying to win games, trying to compete in every game.
"If it comes, it's great. If not, we are just challenging to win everything that we can."