An estimated half-a-million people lined the streets of Liverpool to welcome back the Champions League winners.
The squad paraded through the city centre on an open-top bus emblazoned with the message, “Champions of Europe”.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and his players flew home to Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Sunday after beating Premier League opponents Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Saturday night’s final in Madrid.
Holding up the European Cup, which Liverpool have now won six times, the players were met by a sea of red, with crowds between 10 and 20 deep in places.
Fireworks and red flares were let off as they passed along the route.
A spokeswoman for Liverpool City Council said there was near to half-a-million people out on the streets for the parade, but city mayor Joe Anderson put the figure closer to 750,000. The city’s population is 552,000.
Huge crowds of Liverpool fans wearing shirts and flying flags packed out roadsides, chanting and singing the team’s praises on a hot, sunny day on Merseyside.
Some pubs and bars in the city were reported to be running out of beer, with fans carrying bottles and cans bought from nearby off licences.
Klopp, who was filmed counting to six on his fingers during the parade, in recognition of the club’s sixth title, said the triumph is only the beginning.
“Now we won something and we will carry on. We want to win things, 100%. I’ve said it, this is only the start for this group,” he said.
“It’s still a wonderful age group, they all have the best times in their careers ahead of them so that’s big.”
The German, whose teams have lost the last six finals they have played, added: “I have a lot of silver medals and now I have a golden one so it’ll be next to the silver medals in my house and that’s cool.”
The victory is particularly sweet for the Reds after they narrowly failed to win the Premier League title, finishing a point behind Manchester City despite amassing a record 97 points.
One Liverpool fan, Ed Atkins from Oxford, tried and failed to get a ticket to Saturday’s game but watched the game in the city, said: “This is probably the next best thing to being in Madrid last night.
“It was an awful game but the result was all that mattered.”
Source : Sky News : http://news.sky.com/story/liverpool-500000-fans-turn-out-to-welcome-home-champions-league-winners-11733745
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