Georginio Wijnaldum will be “disappointed” if he does not start the Champions League final after his semi-final heroics for Liverpool. The 28-year-old Netherlands international midfielder, who played from the start in the 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the final 12 months ago, revealed he was frustrated to be left on the bench for the semi-final second leg against Barcelona at Anfield earlier this month.
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However, Wijnaldum played a huge part in the Reds’ miraculous comeback when he scored two goals in as many minutes just after being introduced at half time as the side went on to win 4-0 and progressed to the final 4-3 on aggregate. Despite that huge input, the former Newcastle man acknowledges that it still might not be enough to secure him a place in the starting XI when Jurgen Klopp names his side to face Tottenham in Madrid on Saturday.
“There is no guarantee that you will play but we will see,” he told Sky Sports News. “I was angry [to not start against Barcelona] but I think that is normal. It’s a bad sign if you are happy to sit on the bench. [The expectation being] if you come back from an injury and you are coming back step-by-step.
“I just want to play as much as possible, especially in a game like (the final). I think everyone would be disappointed if they don’t play. “I was disappointed but in the end you play as a team. “We have a team which supports each other, you do your job and try to help the team win games. “When I came in I gave it my all and then we will see what will happen.”
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