Dejan Lovren has saluted Jurgen Klopp's transformation of Liverpool as they look to win their first piece of silverware under the Ge...
Dejan Lovren has saluted Jurgen Klopp's transformation of Liverpool as they look to win their first piece of silverware under the German in the Champions League final.
Liverpool's European Cup final with Real Madrid in Kiev, Ukraine, later this month is the third final the Merseyside club have reached since Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.
Klopp will be hoping his five-game losing streak in finals is ended at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium on May 26, although Lovren insists his manager has already installed a winning mentality at Liverpool.
"He changed many things in the club, not just the players but things around the club, people," Lovren told reporters. "He has changed the mentality [of] how we think. Everything is more positive now.
"Even when we sometimes don't play good he always finds something good and there is not negativity.
"He deserves this. It is not accidental that he already reached the final of the Champions League in 2013 with Borussia Dortmund. He has given the club pride back.
"Everyone feels that everyone lives that. Everyone should be proud that we have a manager like him."
Despite losing the second leg of the semifinal tie at Roma 4-2 on Wednesday, Liverpool booked their place in the final with a 7-6 victory on aggregate
Roma needed one more goal at the Stadio Olimpico to take the tie to extra-time after Radja Nainggolan netted an injury-time penalty. However, the referee blew the final whistle seconds later, sparking jubilant scenes among the Liverpool squad and travelling supporters.
"Unbelievable -- something that every player dreams of doing," Lovren said of reaching the final. "It is just an honour to play for Liverpool and let's do something in the final now. It is an honour to play with this team, they are fantastic these players, these fans.
"It was difficult in the last 10 to 15 minutes. Our heads, I would say, were in the final already. That is why we conceded, but let's enjoy now.
"You need to play against the best teams, but the best teams are us and real Madrid. Let's see what will happen."
Lovren's centre-half partner, Virgil van Dijk, believes Liverpool will need to constantly be on the front foot against Real if they are to secure the club's sixth European Cup title.
Boasting a frontline of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino that has combined to score 89 goals in all competitions so far this season, Van Dijk feels Liverpool have more than enough firepower to deny Zinedine Zidane's team their third successive Champions League crown.
"If you're going to sit back, like we did at times [at Roma] and in the last 10-15 minutes at Anfield last week, then you'll face problems," he said. "If we do what we normally do -- press high -- then we can make it difficult for anyone. You can be as good as you like, but if the opposition keeps pressing you, it'll be very difficult.
"We're not going there to lose. We know we have a lot of quality and so they need to be wary of what we can do. We need to be wary of what they can do."
Van Dijk was a spectator when Real beat Juventus 4-1 in June to secure their 12th triumph in the European Cup.
"I watched the Champions League final last year in Cardiff with a very good friend of mine," said the defender, who moved to Liverpool from Southampton in January. "To be in the final now, it's special. We still have games to focus on in the Premier League and then we'll be ready for Kiev."
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