Klopp's rebuild of Liverpool: Five titles, nine finals and one fearsome team

The father of all Liverpool's recent success is Jurgen Klopp. There is no doubt about it.

The former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund boss already ranks alongside Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly as one of the Reds' most influential coaches.

Klopp arrived in 2015 to a sunken team. Liverpool had won just one trophy in the previous nine years, the 2011/12 League Cup, and had only been able to reach the Champions League group stage once in six seasons.

Now, things are different. They are one of the most dominant teams in Europe. Under Klopp, they have won five titles, played in nine finals and even had dreams of a quadruple this season.

How has Klopp taken Liverpool to the top of English and European football?

2015/16

His first two finals... but both defeats

Liverpool announced the arrival of Klopp as Brendan Rodgers' replacement on October 8, 2015, with the season already underway.

The Reds, after eight games, were 10th in the Premier League with 12 points from a possible 24. Leaders Manchester City were already six points clear.

"Please give us time to work," Klopp begged. "I think in four years' time we can win a title. If not, maybe the next one I will win will be in Switzerland."

In his first year, Klopp opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, but he was unable to turn around the side's erratic form in the Premier League, and they finished eighth.

However, he managed to get the team into two finals. Both, however, he lost. They lost to City on penalties in the League Cup, and lost to Sevilla in the Europa League after eliminating Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal en route to the final.

Daniel Sturridge (13 goals), now with Perth Glory in Australia, finished as the Reds' top scorer in all competitions. Simon Mignolet (55) played the most games. How things have changed.

Europa League (final): Resumen del Liverpool 1-3 Sevilla

2016/17

Liverpool return to the Champions League

Klopp began to shape the Liverpool of the future from the summer, and a lot of players were moved on.

In turn, important players like Joel Matip, Sadio Mane, and Georginio Wijnaldum arrived. That summer, Loris Karius was also signed with the intention of reinforcing the competition in goal.

Klopp's great success this season was leading Liverpool to the Champions League places. The Reds (76 points) finished fourth behind Manchester City (78) and Tottenham (86). They were still a long way behind Antonio Conte's Chelsea, champions with 93 points.

Nathaniel Clyne, who was ostracised through injury before moving to Palace, was the most used player, making 40 appearances. Philippe Coutinho finished top scorer with 14 goals.

2017/18

The turning point: The first Champions League final

Klopp's approach was proven to work. Liverpool continued to complete new signings. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined in the summer, Trent Alexander-Arnold makes a definitive breakthrough and Henderson establishes himself as a starter.

The team reaches the Champions League group stage after eliminating Hoffenheim. The pressing and the German coach's electric approach, with their incredible attack, had Anfield falling in love.

However, in the winter transfer window, two transfers took place that are key to understanding Liverpool today. Coutinho left for Barcelona for 135 million euros. Liverpool took advantage of this money to reinforce the backline, and paid 85 million euros to Southampton for Virgil van Dijk to become the most expensive defender in history.

"He has helped us a lot," Alberto Moreno acknowledged in an interview with MARCA in 2018. "It shows.

"He's a top player, he's a captain in defence, he's the one who manages everything at the back."

Liverpool once again finished in the Champions League places, again fourth with 75 points, 25 fewer than champions City.

The major qualitative leap came in Europe: the Reds reached the Champions League final after eliminating Porto, City, and Roma. In the final in Kyiv, however, they ended up losing 3-1 against Real Madrid.

Roberto Firmino (54) finished the season as the most used player and Salah exploded as a goalscorer. He finishes with more goals than anybody, with 44 goals and 32 came in the Premier League.

2018/19

Liverpool conquer Europe

The signing of Alisson, after the countless failures of Karius and Mignolet, completed the team.

The engine room was reinforced with the signings of Fabinho and Naby Keïta, showing that Liverpool were back to stay.

The big change, this time, is in the Premier League. Liverpool achieved the consistency they had lacked on previous occasions and pushed City into a photo finish. Pep Guardiola's side finally prevailed on the final day: 98 points to Liverpool's 97.

The Reds, however, got their revenge in style, winning their sixth Champions League. Along the way they saw off Bayern Munich, Porto, and Barcelona. The comeback at Anfield against Barcelona, without Salah and Firmino, thanks to Divock Origi's brace deserves a separate chapter.

The icing on the cake came with the victory over Tottenham in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano with goals from Salah and Origi. Klopp renewed until 2024 to bring the definitive boost to the project.

"This is a declaration of intent," Klopp said. "We have achieved a lot, but there is still a lot to achieve. My contribution can only grow."

2019/20

Liverpool recapture the Premier League, 30 years later

The season started without substantial news in the form of signings. Adrian arrived to reinforce the goal and became the unexpected star of the European Super Cup triumph against Chelsea.

Liverpool had just won the Champions League and made the final in Kyiv previously, but the club had become obsessed with the Premier League. It seemed to be an impossible task given City's overwhelming dominance the previous two seasons, but Klopp's side achieved it thanks to an immaculate start to the season.

They went 27 games unbeaten (26 wins and a draw) from the start of the league campaign. They did not lose until they fell to Watford (3-0) on matchday 28.

The pandemic, however, delayed the title for longer than expected. In the end, the Reds were crowned champions with seven games to go, 23 points ahead of City. In doing so, they ended 30 years without winning the title.

In Europe, however, they suffered a major setback just before the pandemic. They managed to force extra time, but were finally knocked out in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid. The champions said a premature farewell.

2020/21

A backward step plagued by setbacks

Liverpool, in their quest for excellence and to keep making new records, made two major additions - Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota. In addition, Kostas Tsimikas arrives.

The team made a good start to the defence of their league title, reaching the top of the table on matchday 15.

However, after Christmas, the team started to slide. Long-term defensive injuries to Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Matip made the team vulnerable. Patches are sought with Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips, but they don't work. The winter arrivals of Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak do not stop the bleeding either.

Liverpool, also hit by injuries to Thiago and Fabinho and Mane's poor form, had a season to forget. They were eliminated in the fourth round of the FA Cup and League Cup, and knocked out by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Even their participation in the following year's Champions League via the Premier League's top four was in danger. Alisson's goal in the 95th minute in the victory against West Brom ended up being crucial for Liverpool to finish third and reach the Champions League.

2021/22

Another Champions League final

Liverpool got Van Dijk back, but lost Wijnaldum. After their bad experience with injuries, they reinforced the defence with Ibrahima Konate. However, they struggled to find their best in the Premier League.

What's more, in January, also due to several postponed matches, they were 14 points behind Manchester City in the league.

Far from giving up, the team were rebuilding. The signing of Luis Diaz in the winter transfer window gave wings to a team that have been transforming themselves in 2022.

In fact, they closed the gap to the point where they were a serious threat to City. They also regained their solidity at the back, keeping clean sheets in more than half of their matches.

That spectacular run was not enough to win the Premier League, but it did lead Liverpool to win the League Cup and FA Cup, and to reach the Champions League. They will finish the season with a total of 63 games played, the most possible at the start of a campaign.

Klopp took over a team in ashes and has turned them into a phoenix. Only five players remain from his first season: James Milner, Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Origi and Joe Gomez.

But the revolution continues. Klopp has just renewed his contract until 2026 and Firmino, to name one, has lost his undisputed status.

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