Liverpool v Flamengo Club World Cup preview: Jurgen Klopp, Alisson Becker and Jorge Jesus up for Qatar clash
Liverpool meet Flamengo in the Club World Cup final in Qatar on Saturday. We look ahead to the clash.
When is the Club World Cup final?
The third-place play-off between Monterrey and Al-Hilal will take place at 1430 GMT on Saturday, December 21, then Liverpool will meet Brazilian side Flamengo in the final at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar and will kick off at 1730 GMT.
How can I watch Liverpool v Flamengo?
The clash will be live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with match build-up from 1715 GMT.
What are the latest odds?
Liverpool - 1/2 | Draw - 7/2 | Flamengo - 9/2
Price Boosts
- Sadio Mane to score anytime - 13/8
- Roberto Firmino to score and Liverpool to win in 90 mins - 3/1
- Virgil van Dijk to score a header - 16/1
Odds via Sky Bet and available here
Jurgen Klopp claims winning competition would be like landing on moon
Manager Jurgen Klopp likened Liverpool winning a first Club World Cup to landing on the moon but admits he could not care less if they do not get lauded for lifting the trophy.
On three previous occasions - in 1981, coincidentally against Saturday's opponents Flamengo - 1985 and 2005 they returned home empty-handed and it remains the piece of silverware they have yet to win.
The competition is generally derided in Europe, and England in particular, and Klopp has been criticised for taking his full first-team squad to Qatar and leaving behind a hugely-inexperienced youth team to get beaten 5-0 by Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
So should they beat the team from Sao Paulo in Doha's Khalifa International Stadium he is not expecting widespread praise for the achievement. But he is not bothered.
"I don't know how you approach something that has never been done before - like landing on the moon," he said.
"We are playing against a side from a country and continent where this competition means everything to everyone and, in England, we have to explain why we come here.
"That's how Europe looks at the world, that we are the centre of attention.
"Who cares? (if Liverpool do not get the credit) Really, you do not win something so people will say, 'Oh, you won it'.
"You win it to celebrate it, and I know Liverpool fans will celebrate like crazy, and other people will say, 'Who cares'.
"I could not care less. You do not win to show the whole world we are here.
"You get it and then we will say it is nice. I don't know if you can keep it or get a replica, but it would still just be nice to achieve something, doing it the best way you can."
Klopp looks set to have Virgil Van Dijk back in his side after the Dutchman missed the semi-final against Monterrey because of illness.
It means he is likely to name a full-strength side, unleashing his front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane after the latter pair came off the bench to have an impact against the Mexicans.
Many players have spoken in recent weeks about how winning trophies is driving them on, having lifted their first piece of silverware with the Champions League in June.
Midfielder Adam Lallana this week described it as an "addiction" and Klopp said his players' attitude has been first-class despite having to break from their normal routines.
"The Club World Cup winner, you don't often get the chance to do that and for most of them, with the countries they play for, they never have a chance to win a World Cup. This, for me, is also the only chance," said the German.
"They do not complain a lot. I never had to convince my team to come and play the competition.
"They were completely on fire from the first moment when they heard about it.
"You don't write history beforehand, you do something and then everybody tells you later: 'You wrote history'. But I have no clue whether it would be history.
"To be honest, that's not my first concern. Winning it would be great - I don't even know exactly how the trophy looks but I didn't know that about the (European) Super Cup either and that is a good example."
Alisson: Reds goalkeeper wants to make more history
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is keen to make history by securing Liverpool's first Club World Cup.
The Reds have played in three previous finals, in various incarnations, in 1981 - coincidentally against Saturday's opponents Flamengo - 1985 and 2005 but came home empty-handed.
It remains the only trophy to elude the six-time European champions and Alisson, who as a Brazilian is well aware of how important the competition is, wants to change that.
"When I was young, at 14, my former club Internacional became Club World Cup champions in 2006 and I watched it as a supporter," said the Brazil international.
"I was so excited at that time. Then I started to dream of this. Now I am here, with this big opportunity to win it for the first time with Liverpool against a big club.
"We are making this big for us. This is important. It is important to make history and put our names in the club as the first time ever that Liverpool won it.
"You can feel how much Flamengo want this. They had more than 10,000 fans on Tuesday (for their semi-final).
"But this is not just big for them. This is big for us also. We want it. We want to win it.
"It is what I love to do - to play football in these moments."
Flamengo want to do it for the kids
Flamengo midfielder Everton Ribeiro insists the players will dedicate the Club World Cup to the academy players who were killed in a fire earlier this year if they beat Liverpool in Doha.
Ten young footballers died in a blaze at the Sao Paulo club's training ground in February, with president Rodolfo Landim saying it was "without a doubt the worst tragedy" in its 123-year history.
Everton said the plan was to remember those teenagers if they won the title.
"It was a huge tragedy, the death of the young players at the training ground," he said.
"Our message to the families of the players is that may God be with them and we will always support the families of those players.
"We will dedicate this title to the players and their spirits. We will do our best to win the title. We will never forget those young players.
"It is a sad story in the history of Flamengo and it is a source of inspiration and motivation to exert all our efforts.
"We hope the families will have strength again and maybe winning the title will bring comfort to those of the deceased."
Flamengo's former Benfica and Sporting coach Jorge Jesus is confident his side can bridge the financial gulf between the two clubs on Saturday in the Khalifa International Stadium.
The Sao Paulo club have already won the state championship, the Brazilian league and the Copa Libertadores but operate with a fraction of the finances of their Premier League rivals.
"We cannot compare between two good teams easily. Yes, Liverpool has a distinct history in recent years: they have won many titles and they are one of the best clubs in the world," Jesus said.
"Jurgen Klopp has been with the team for many years and accomplished a lot with them, not only in the English League but Champions League. Liverpool have left their mark on world football.
"We know Flamengo are enjoying an excellent season, so there are similarities. We can say Liverpool and Flamengo may be at the best levels in their history.
"But we know the top clubs in Europe have the budgets to recruit the top players in Latin America and Europe.
"We don't have the financial capabilities compared to European clubs so I am happy with the level we have reached despite the financial differences."
Sporting Life tips
Liverpool to score in both halves at 13/10: The Reds should win this one and it may take a couple to get past a dangerous Flamengo outfit. They have scored in both halves in nine Premier League games this season and an early goal should set the tone with one in the latter stages confirming another title.
Gabriel Barbosa to score anytime at 11/5: Possibly worth a small play at this price. The Brazilian should be leading the line and he is one to watch for the future. The 23-year-old is on loan from Inter Milan and is enjoying life at Flamengo, with an average of four shots per game in the Brazilian league and a rate of 25 goals and eight assists in 29 appearances and in the Copa Libertadores he contributed seven strikes in six outings. Impressive.
Score prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Flamengo (Sky Bet odds: 11/1)
By George Pitts
Sunday's Premier League tips
Betting previews, predictions & best bets for Sunday's action, including Tottenham v Chelsea and Watford v Man United.
Odds correct as of 1920 GMT on 20/12/19