Klopp hails Liverpool Women’s Championship title success

Jurgen Klopp hopes Liverpool Women can make the most of their opportunity to return to the FA Women’s Super League after a two-year exile.

Following confirmation of their promotion to the top flight on Sunday, when they clinched top spot with two games to spare in front of a Championship record crowd of 5,752, the Reds boss shared messages of congratulations with his opposite number on the women’s side.

Liverpool won back-to-back WSL titles under Beard in 2013 and 2014 before a turbulent period culminated in relegation on a points-per-game basis at the end of the coronavirus-affected 2019/20 campaign.

Klopp, who is preparing his side to face Benfica in Champions League action on Tuesday, commended a “wonderful team” and “great coach”, as he explained how he hoped the achievement is the beginning of an upward curve for women’s football at Liverpool.

“Congratulations – I sent messages yesterday, I was really happy. I was following it all the time,” the German said at his press conference on Monday ahead of this week’s first-leg tie in Lisbon.

“After the result last week it was clear they needed a draw against Bristol to make it and they won. I’m really happy for the girls and for Matt – it is a big, big thing.”

He added: “Obviously, Liverpool was in the last years not famous for treating or dealing with women’s football outstandingly well. They didn’t go down to the Championship for no reason.

“I met a lot of the girls in the last two or three months for different reasons, we did wonderful things together with Meikayla (Moore) for LGBT, which was really great and then I spoke to others, and it’s really nice.

“Now they are back and we have to make sure that we use the situation. It is a wonderful team, great coach and I’m really happy for them to get promoted.”