Ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League final triumph over Spurs last weekend, it has been reported that the Reds took on Benfica’s B side in a friendly.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi ensured that the Reds would claim their sixth European crown to the delight of the travelling Liverpool faithful.
The friendly prior to the final was initially first viewed to help improve match sharpness, however, it has now been claimed that Jurgen Klopp used the game to identify similarities between Spurs’ and Benfica B’s style of play.
Benfica B manager, Renato Paiva, spoke to newspaper Abola about the game, which was cited by Twitter user Tiago Estevao.
Twitter: Liverpool played Benfica’s B team in Marbella before the Champions League final. Turns out it was more than just fo… https://t.co/RfnKcjyCIu (@TiagoEstv)
Klopp’s tactics ahead of the Champions League final clearly prepared his players, as they limited Spurs in regards to clear cut opportunities in Madrid.
Previously, Klopp had not succeeded in many of his major finals, losing six out of his last seven as a manager prior to the game in Madrid, including last seasons loss to Real Madrid.
However, it appears as if the friendly against Benfica B’s side worked wonders for the Reds, something which the German may now use again in the future.
