He may well have missed out on snaring a Premier League title winners’ medal when Liverpool were edged aside by champions Manchester City, but right now Jordan Henderson isn’t too bothered.
Because Reds skipper Hendo got his hands on the ultimate trophy in European club football when Jurgen Klopp’s side won the Champions League and he lifted the pot aloft after the 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid on Saturday.
The triumph, which came about thanks to goals from Mo Salah — a spot-kick on two minutes when Moussa Sissoko handballed — and a Divock Origi strike on 87 minutes — gave the Anfield giants their sixth European Cup.
And, as the dust settled on the victory parade around the streets of Liverpool yesterday, a breathless Henderson took stock on what has been an amazing season, and a truly amazing achievement.
He told the club’s official website:
“It was obviously emotional. We’ve come a long way as a team and had so many knock-backs. To finally get over the line is an amazing feeling, something special and one we’ll remember forever. It was very nice to know we have come back from so many disappointments, and finally got over the line and won a big trophy. It is an amazing night and hopefully we can use this to win more in the future. It gives us confidence to know we can win the Champions League and together we can move forward and hopefully win more trophies as well.”
Central midfielder Henderson, who switched to Merseyside from Sunderland in 2011, added that he hoped snaring the silverware would be just the start of a successful stint for the club.
He said:
“I am 28, I want to achieve a lot, keep improving as a player, I want the team to keep improving, I want to win more, that is all my focus is on now. That’s the idea, we hope this can give us a lot of confidence. The big trophies, the big nights. I want to enjoy this moment but also when we come back pre-season we will be focused on looking in the future.”
Next up for the Reds hierarchy is the task of securing coach Klopp to a long deal. Liverpool chairman Tom Werner summed up exactly how much love and respect there is at the club for the German boss.
He said:
“Jurgen is a brilliant coach but just as importantly he is a humble and caring man. When the players threw Jurgen in the air after our victory, they were acknowledging what all Liverpool fans know – he is beloved by all who appreciate football.”
As for Klopp, he said he was overwhelmed by the devotion shown by the 750,000 fans who gathered in the city to cheer on their heroes in the victory parade. He said:
“I don’t know exactly how many people live in Liverpool but it does not look like there is a lot of space for fans of other clubs. It is incredible. If you are a young kid, which do you support? There are not a lot of opportunities or options other than Liverpool. You see in the eyes how much it means. It is really intense.”
