It wasn’t so easy to get their head around earlier events and look forward. The team, coach and the 1,700 guests gathered in the wake of the cup final for a celebration of the season at Berlin’s “Kraftwerk” venue. Naturally the 2-0 defeat did hang over the evening but when Jürgen Klopp stepped forward at the ungodly hour of 1.45 am to say a few words, spirits certainly lifted.

“Life is a series of challenges, attempts to prevail,” the coach maintained. “If everything you tried went perfectly then would that not soon become boring? This evening we attempted to win another title. Sadly we came up short this time. But once again we have done ourselves, our club and community proud in a way that cannot be surpassed.”

The team once again went toe to toe with Bayern, this time suffering the body-blow of scoring a goal that counted for nothing. Once again, in a final against Bayern, any luck that was going seemed to elude the Black n Yellows. Klopp continued, “We are all pretty sure we know what the outcome would have been had that goal been given. Had it been 1-0 to us, would Bayern have been able to push the pain to the back of their minds? Would they have been able to try to play for time? We did all we could.”

As he looked back on the season, Klopp could only see positives from his players and was keen to point out that the team had made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League missing seven (!) players from the previous season’s final. He added that despite being plagued by injury, the team had come second in the Bundesliga and made it to the showcase Final of the domestic season. “If anyone dares to come up to me and say “What a pity” I will simply knock the glass from his hand.”

Looking forward to the future Klopp added, “We will be back. This team is so mentally strong. It doesn’t matter which player leaves us, we shall simply get in new lads. Do not doubt that for a moment!” And with those few words Klopp instructed everyone to party into the morning, instructions that were followed to the letter as the party only wound down at about 6 am...