• ‘Coaches don’t judge on silverware but the outside world does’ • Klopp will make late call on Roberto Firmino’s fitness for final

Jürgen Klopp has said he and Mauricio Pochettino must accept the outside world will judge their managerial careers on silverware as he attempts to win the Champions League final at the third attempt in Madrid on Saturday.

The Liverpool manager shares his Tottenham counterpart’s view that it is “unfair” to measure success purely in terms of trophies won, describing as “silly” such an uncompromising assessment. Klopp has lost his past six cup finals as manager, including the 2018 and 2013 Champions League finals, and was pipped to this season’s Premier League title by a point by Manchester City. He insists Liverpool’s campaign will live with him for ever irrespective of the finale but admits history will not be so kind without victory at Wanda Metropolitano.

“I think Poch is right but that’s not important,” said the Liverpool manager, who described Roberto Firmino as fit and ready but refused to confirm whether the influential Liverpool striker would start. “The thing is, you – the outside world – it is your right to judge us by what we win and what we don’t win. Look back in 20 years and nobody will talk about our brilliant season unless another team comes close to 97 points but for me, as a person, it will stay for ever.

“That is probably what Poch is like as well but the outside world is like this and we have to accept that. But to judge a coach by what he is winning is a silly thing because we all have different circumstances. We all have different teams, different clubs. We have to fight with or against different things. The manager of the year award this year [Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder] was a really good decision. It’s a good sign that people are looking behind the scenes when making this decision, looking at the circumstances, his resources and how they played.

“Coaches, most of us, judge each other not on trophies. And not because most of us don’t win but because we know about the job. I don’t say Pep Guardiola is the best – which is what I really think – because he constantly wins the league he’s in. It’s because of the football they play and the things he’s doing.”

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Klopp believes Liverpool’s run to a ninth European Cup/Champions League final was “fuelled by the experience of last year” when his team endured a calamitous defeat by Real Madrid. He admits winning 97 points in the Premier League but not the title will also spur his players in their attempts to crown Liverpool champions of Europe for a sixth time.

Quick guide Liverpool player guide Show Hide Alisson Goalkeeper Season apps 50 The great-grandson of an amateur goalkeeper in his hometown, the Brazil No 1 replaced his brother, Muriel, at Internacional. Trent Alexander-Arnold Right-back Season apps 40 Goals 1 When Liverpool last won the Champions League in 2005, he had just signed for the club as a six-year-old. Andy Robertson Left-back Apps 51 Goals 0 Released by Celtic aged 15, he worked at M&S in Glasgow while playing as an amateur for Queen’s Park. Has never lost a Liverpool game at Anfield. Virgil van Dijk Centre-back Apps 53 Goals 6 World’s most expensive defender at £75m. Worked as a dishwasher at the Oncle Jean restaurant in Breda when he was 16. Joël Matip Centre-back Apps 30 Goals 1 Born in Bochum, he represented his father’s country, Cameroon, before retiring from international duty in 2015. Dejan Lovren Centre-back Apps 18 Goals 1 Said he should be recognised as “one of the best defenders in the world” after helping Croatia to the World Cup final. His family escaped to Germany during the Bosnian war. Joe Gomez Centre-back

Apps 24 Goals 0 The versatile defender joined Liverpool from Charlton, where he made his first-team debut aged 17. Has represented England at every level. Georginio Wijnaldum Midfielder

Apps 46 Goals 5 His double against Barcelona sent Liverpool to the final. Started his career at Sparta Rotterdam, where his younger brother, Giliano, plays. Fabinho Midfielder Apps 40 Goals 1 Before joining Monaco, the Brazilian had a spell on loan at Real Madrid from Rio Ave in 2013, making one appearance. Jordan Henderson Midfielder Apps 45 Goals 1 Given his England debut by Fabio Capello. The only English player to miss in the World Cup shootout against Colombia. James Milner Midfielder

Apps 44 Goals 7 Last season, his nine assists broke the record for a single Champions League campaign. He is England’s most-capped under-21 international. Mohamed Salah Forward

Apps 51 Goals 26 Was excused military service in Egypt to focus on football. The fastest Liverpool player to score 50 Premier League goals, taking 69 matches. Roberto Firmino Forward

Apps 47 Goals 16 He used to help his father in the family business selling water bottles. Was the Bundesliga’s 2013-14 breakthrough player of the year. Sadio Mané Forward Apps 49 Goals 26 Scored the fastest Premier League hat-trick for Southampton against Aston Villa in 2015 in two minutes and 56 seconds. Divock Origi Forward

Apps 20 Goals 6 His father played 120 times for Kenya. His double against Barcelona was the first time he'd scored in the Champions League. Xherdan Shaqiri Forward

Apps 30 Goals 6 The only player in the Liverpool squad to have won the Champions League. Harry Vavasour

“It is a lot of motivation for Saturday but I don’t have to be sad to be motivated,” he said. “We had a brilliant season. You don’t always motivate because something negative happens. It’s about what we can reach.”

Klopp was asked at his pre-final press conference in Madrid whether he believed in unlucky managers, having lost his past six cup finals – three with Liverpool and three with Borussia Dortmund.

“My career so far is not unlucky,” he replied. “My missus says it all the time: ‘When is the last game of the season?’ Because since 2012, and apart from 2017, every year my team has been in a final. I am probably the world record holder in winning semi-finals. I could write a book about that but no one would buy it. I don’t sit here and think about myself and think ‘loser’. And, if we won tomorrow, I would not sit here thinking ‘winner’. We want to win it with all we have. They can be lucky moments and in my two Champions League finals I was never on the lucky side.”