Liverpool midfielder Thiago believes that the fact that he was so close to an unprecedented quadruple last season had an excessive impact on the team.
Manager Jurgen Klopp earlier this month accepted the physical demands of a 63-game season in which his team played all the matches available to them, won the League-FA Cup double and narrowly missed out on Premier League titles, and the Champions League caught up with them. .
But the fact that they were so close to a historic achievement — they were 12 minutes away from a second national title in three years and lost to Real Madrid only 1-0 in Paris — also seems to have had a psychological impact.
“It’s not just about physical things, it’s something psychological because we were so close to winning everything and we just touched on it, but unfortunately it’s gone,” Tiago said after a disappointing goalless draw at home to Chelsea.
“We are ready for the Champions League (in the 1/8 final against Madrid) and the FA Cup.
“We are not in the position we wanted in the Premier League, but still we are there, and that’s good.
“Last season we had one of the best seasons of my life. This season is not one of the best, but it doesn’t matter.
“It’s a difficult task, and I think we have great quality and great guys to solve this problem, and I’m sure we will do it.”
Brentford’s points at Leeds on Sunday dropped Liverpool to ninth place, and although the top four is still a long way off, the fact that Klopp’s team has only reached the middle of the season gives hope that there is still time to fix everything.
“I think in difficult moments we have to be together as a team,” Thiago added.
“In fact, we have to go through game after game and score points that will help us climb as high as possible.
“Our goal is the next game. Not to be in the top four or the Europa League, but just in the next game.
“We are looking forward to the next game (Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round match) against Brighton, that’s it.”
