Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has said that if Liverpool don’t win the Champions League, it will be a ‘disappointing’ season.
The Reds narrowly missed out on the Premier League title following a chaotic final day of action, ending one point behind City after their 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa. Liverpool did all they could by beating Wolves 3-1 but it wasn’t enough. Full attention for Jurgen Klopp's side now turns to Paris and Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid. They will be looking to inflict revenge on Carlo Ancelotti’s side after their 2019 final heartbreak in Kiev as the Reds now aim to win a treble.
And for Richards, if Liverpool fail to win at the Stade de France, it will be a bad end to a season that offered so much promise. “If you’re in four competitions at this part of the season and you only finish with two,” he told The Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s not about coming so close, it’s about winning. If Liverpool win the Champions League it’s an incredible season but if they lose, it’ll be disappointing. They won both cups on penalties. I’m a big fan of Liverpool, I’ve been positive about Liverpool. But if you’re in four competitions and you only win the League Cup and FA cup, push to the final game of the season then lose to Real Madrid - you’d be disappointed.”
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Richards also admitted that he couldn’t believe Pep Guardiola’s side turned it around yesterday, having come from 2-0 down thanks to two goals from Ilkay Gundogan and one from Rodri within five minutes. He said: “At half-time I just thought Man City they’re going to blow it, they didn’t start well, they looked nervous. It was the first time I’d seen them misplace passes, I don’t know what it was about the game. If you think Liverpool were attacking the Kop End second half, if you’re looking at Man City and they can see each other’s results you’re thinking Liverpool are going to score.
“Ten years ago, 93:20 Aguero moment, I just sensed something special. But when Aston Villa got their second goal, I gave up all hope, I thought it was over. I asked him (Pep Guardiola), I said ‘when did you feel like you could do it again?’ and he said when he scored the first goal, when it went 2-1. It was like deja-vu from 10 years before then after the goal I thought it’s on now. Four times [Premier League titles] in five years, absolutely sensational.”
