BASEL, Switzerland -- "Everybody recognised I took back my invitation," said Jurgen Klopp with his usual beaming smile. On Tuesday, the normally quiet city of Basel was yet to be conquered by hordes of Liverpool fans heading into the Swiss city from all corners of the continent. It remains to be seen how many follow their manager's reneging of his previous suggestion of come one, come all to Wednesday's Europa League final with Sevilla.
"We will take 50,000, 60,000 -- maybe not in the stadium -- 100,000," he had predicted after the semifinal second leg defeat of Villarreal.