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I Don’t Know How My Players Did It – Klopp Confesses
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said he was “overwhelmed” and saw his players in tears after they completed the biggest Champions League semi-final comeback to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate.
The Reds lost the first leg 3-0 but doubles from GeorginioWijnaldum and DivockOrigi at Anfield took them into a final against Ajax or Tottenham.
“If I have to describe this club then it’s a big heart and tonight it was pounding like crazy,” he said.
“You could hear it all over the world.”
Klopp was almost giddy in his BT Sport interview, checking it was past the watershed before swearing and saying he was happy to pay a fine.
“The whole game was too much,” he said. “Winning is difficult but with a clean sheet, I don’t know how they did it.”
“It means so much to all of us. There are more important things in the world. But creating this emotional atmosphere together is so special. It’s all about the players.
“The mix of potential and unbelievable heart is just a mix I never saw before. It shows what’s possible in football. It’s so nice.”
It is the first time since 1986 – when Barcelona knocked out Gothenburg in the old European Cup – that a team have recovered a three-goal first-leg deficit to win a semi-final in this competition.
“I said to the boys before ‘I don’t think it’s possible but because it’s you I think we have a chance’ – they are really mentality giants. It’s unbelievable,” Klopp added.
“After the season we played, the games we had, the injuries we had now in this moment, if you go out there and ask who bet a penny on us, I don’t think you would find a lot of people.
“We know this club is the mix of atmosphere, emotion, desire and football quality. Cut off one and it doesn’t work.”
Klopp won two Bundesliga titles and a German Cup with Borussia Dortmund but since 2012 has lost two Champions League finals, one Europa League final, two German Cups and a Carabao Cup final.
“I know what people say about me and losing finals, that’s absolutely right,” said Klopp, who guided the five-time European champions to last season’s final, which they lost to Real Madrid. “But it’s the fourth final in that time as well we are in, that’s pretty special already.
“Last year we really felt we have to go back – we cannot let it stand like this, that’s not possible. Now we get another chance and we will go for that, of course.
“I’m not sure if it will happen again because it’s so special. When I saw the boys after the game and saw the tears in their eyes, that’s football. This club touches you like crazy, it’s like you feel much more than others in these moments.”
Wijnaldum said his team had showed “everything is possible in football”.
The midfielder replaced the injured Andy Robertson at half-time and scored twice, with Origi getting the winner.
“After the game in Spain we were confident we could score four and win 4-0,” he said.
“People outside doubted us. They thought we couldn’t do it. But once again we showed everything is possible in football.
“I was really angry that the manager put me on the bench. I just tried to help my team, I’m happy I could do that with two goals.”
The final is in Madrid on 1 June and will be the first since 2013 without a Spanish side involved – that after a run of seven finalists from that country in the past five seasons.
“Who’s going to the final? We are,” said Liverpool left-back Robertson, when asked about a running battle he had with former Reds striker Luis Suarez, whose kick injured the Scot and led to his half-time substitution. “That’s all that matters. Gini went on [for me] and scored two. I don’t care right now.”
Robertson also said this unlikely victory can help his side as they attempt to win the Premier League title on Sunday. They need to beat Wolves and hope leaders Manchester City drop points at Brighton to win their first league title since 1990.
“Fingers crossed,” he said. “We go to Sunday full of energy. It’s out of our hands but we’ve seen stranger things happen. Especially tonight.”
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday, presented a N1.1 trillion 2025 budget proposal to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers House of Assembly.
He announced that Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose to over ₦250 billion naira, and it’s expected to close at ₦300 billion by the end of the year, marking a record 100% increase over the previous year.
This, alongside ₦300 billion received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), enabled the state to execute transformative projects across sectors.
Building on this success, the governor unveiled one trillion, one hundred and eighty-eight billion, nine hundred and sixty-two million, seven hundred and thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and thirty-two, thirty-six Kobo (₦1, 188, 962, 739, 932. 36) for 2025 fiscal year.
The proposed budget comprises Recurrent Expenditure of ₦462 billion and Capital Expenditure ₦678 billion, reflecting a 44% to 56% ratio.
Governor Fubara outlined the expected revenue streams to fund the budget, including ₦264.3 billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), ₦18.2 billion from Statutory Allocation, ₦132.1 billion from Mineral Funds, ₦204.2 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT) and ₦32.2 billion from Refunds Escrow, Paris/ECA, ₦27.5 from Refands from Bank Charges and ₦20.6Bn from Excess Crude Account.
The projections are based on economic indicators such as an oil price of $80 per barrel, a production target of 1.8 million barrels per day, an exchange rate of ₦1,500 per dollar, and a 22% inflation rate.
Governor Fubara emphasised that the 2025 budget prioritises key sectors critical to the state’s development, including Agriculture to ensure food security; Education for improved access, infrastructure, and quality of learning; Healthcare; Social Investment to empower vulnerable groups and foster equity and Infrastructure Development to enhance connectivity and economic activities.
In his remarks, Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo commended the governor for his vision and commitment to the state’s progress.
The 2025 budget presentation marks Governor Fubara’s second since assuming office in May 2023, amidst ongoing legislative challenges.
former President of the United States, the 39th in the series, who was also a former peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter, has died at the age of 100.
According to FOX News, his death, which was announced by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday, comes months after he entered hospice care in February 2023.
Carter’s passing follows that of his wife, Rosalynn, who died on 19 November 2023 at the age of 96.
The former president battled health challenges for years, including liver cancer diagnosed in 2015, which had spread throughout his body.
His survival defied expectations, despite a family history of cancer. His father, brother, and two sisters died from pancreatic cancer, while his mother’s breast cancer eventually spread to her pancreas.
Jason Carter, his grandson, revealed in May that the former president was nearing the end of his life’s journey, but Jimmy Carter continued to endure.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has attributed Nigeria’s worsening hardship to lack of effective leadership, emphasising the need for sacrifices by political leaders for the collective good.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in his Christmas message to Nigerians, called on the nation to confront the root causes of its struggles while embracing unity and love during the festive season.
Atiku extended warm greetings to Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, urging Nigerians to reflect on the significance of the season.
“It is a blessing that we can once again celebrate the events leading to the birth of Christ, despite the adversity we face,” Atiku said.
He acknowledged the resilience of Nigerians in the face of unprecedented economic and social challenges but lamented the widespread suffering and preventable deaths resulting from poor governance.
“The failure of our leaders to make necessary sacrifices has deepened the hardship and widened the gap between the people and those in power,” he said.
Atiku criticized the lack of visionary leadership in the country, blaming it for the deteriorating quality of life for millions of Nigerians.
He highlighted how poor governance has exacerbated economic difficulties, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of inflation, unemployment, and insecurity.
“Our current struggles are not insurmountable,” Atiku noted, “but addressing them requires leadership that prioritizes the well-being of the people over political expediency.”
Despite his critique of the current administration, Atiku’s message carried a tone of hope and encouragement.
He called on Nigerians to remain united and to confront their shared challenges with love and compassion for one another.
“With love and unity, there is no obstacle too great to overcome. Let us, therefore, come together to share love and joy with all people of goodwill,” he urged.
Atiku also reminded Nigerians of the spirit of Christmas as a time for reflection, gratitude, and selflessness. He encouraged citizens to draw inspiration from the life of Jesus Christ, whose birth symbolizes hope and renewal.
As Nigerians continue to grapple with economic and social instability, Atiku expressed hope for a brighter future, urging all citizens to work together to create a nation that prioritizes the welfare of its people.
“We must not lose sight of our collective strength and potential. With the right leadership and shared determination, Nigeria can rise above its challenges,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain wished all Nigerians a blessed Christmas filled with peace, happiness, and renewed hope for the future.
