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Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp Says Champions League Is a 'Money-Throwing Competition'
March 13, 2019
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has opened up on the financial benefits his side will receive if they can continue progressing in the UEFA Champions League.
The German spoke ahead of Wednesday's trip to Bayern Munich, where a place in the quarter-final is at stake.
Per Goal's Neil Jones, he said the Reds received "a lot of money in one game" when they beat Napoli in their final group stage match to reach the knockout phase, and added:
"It is a money-throwing competition, if I can say that, and we have to be in it as long as possible because we have to improve the situation for the club.
"It's not like we always ask people 'Do you have some money? Do you have some money?' We have to earn most of the money for ourselves with the football that we play. That is exactly what you can do in the Champions League.
"If it happens, it will be a great night. If it doesn't happen, it is not the end of the world."
In February, the Reds released their accounts for the financial year ending in May 31, 2018.
Per The Times' Paul Joyce, their figures included record pre-tax profits:
It is no coincidence that Liverpool's record profits came in a season in which they reached the Champions League final.
The Reds enjoyed an impressive run in Europe before losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in the final.
With their new funds, they were able to enhance their squad with Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri last summer.
The quartet have added quality to both the Reds' first team and the bench, Alisson in particular, and as a result they're now challenging for the Premier League title, one point behind Manchester City with eight games remaining.
On Wednesday, a score draw at the Allianz Arena would be enough for them to progress in the Champions League ahead of Bayern, following their 0-0 draw at Anfield last month.
Even if Liverpool don't manage to win Europe's premier competition or replicate last season's run to the final, how far they get can have a significant impact on the resources they have to put back into the team, so it will pay off to advance even if they were to exit in the next round.