To beat Bayern, Klopp held meeting after meeting.
The team stayed at Anfield to prepare, and the players would occasionally step outside the stadium to get some sun and chat with Liverpool fans passing by.
Because their results this season had been so good, the players naturally had the confidence to talk with the fans.
"Are you buying a ticket to watch us play the final?"
"Really? Remember to shout my name when the time comes. I'll give you Firmino's jersey."
On June 2, Leo Lin chatted with a few fans under the pleasant sunshine at Anfield.
When she heard that Leo Lin was going to give her Firmino's jersey, the female fan looked a little hesitant.
"I mean, Firmino's jersey is great too, of course, but could you give me yours instead?"
Leo Lin smiled. "Sure. As long as after you get my jersey, you post an update on your profile, tag Firmino, and tell him he isn't as handsome as I am."
The fan agreed at once, completely unaware of the murderous aura coming from Firmino beside them.
Although UEFA and many media outlets were doing everything they could to promote the final, Leo Lin was far more relaxed than he had been before last season's Champions League final.
Still, some players who had never played in a Champions League final before were nervous, such as Rodri and Fabinho.
Fabinho had played in the Champions League with Monaco last season, but they had been knocked out fairly early. Rodri had no experience at all.
"Lin, what does it feel like to play in a Champions League final?"
"If we fall behind first, will we feel scared, or will we just get even more nervous?"
"Lin, do you think Klopp will let me start in the Champions League final?"
"I've never played against Bayern before."
Rodri and Fabinho kept pestering Leo Lin every day with all kinds of questions.
Leo Lin told Rodri almost everything he had felt in last season's Champions League final, from the first minute to the last. He even explained which tier of the stands he had interacted with after scoring, which fan it had been, when he drank water near the end of the match, and how much he drank. He gave him every detail.
But even that still failed to send Rodri and Fabinho away.
"You two can go now. I believe you'll play well in the Champions League final. It isn't any different from other finals. The only difference is that the opponent isn't a team from England."
On June 6, Liverpool set off.
The Johan Cruijff ArenA welcomed Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
After the team arrived in Amsterdam, no training session was arranged. Leo Lin took Rodri and Fabinho out for some fresh air, and Alisson followed along too.
The four of them were walking along a garden path outside the hotel when several people approached from the opposite direction, wearing Bayern shirts.
Leo Lin recognized them at once. The man in front was Kimmich, with Lewandowski beside him, and center back Süle as well.
"Leo Lin, it's Kimmich!"
"What do we do? Should we pretend we didn't see them and just walk around? Are players from both sides allowed to meet before a Champions League final?"
"There aren't any reporters from The Sun nearby, right? We have to be careful!"
"If a fight breaks out later, Lin runs first, Alisson covers the back, I'll handle Süle, and Kimmich is Fabinho's problem!"
Rodri was still loyal enough to leave the strongest one, Süle, to himself. But Leo Lin beside him seemed not to hear a word he said and just kept walking forward.
Then he hugged Kimmich.
Rodri felt uncomfortable all over watching it.
"What!"
"They hugged?!"
"Did you see that, Alisson?"
"Kimmich actually hugged Leo Lin!"
Under Rodri's shocked gaze, Alisson also stepped forward and started chatting with Süle. Gradually, Rodri realized that the pre-match atmosphere was not as exaggerated as he had imagined. The Champions League final did not seem as terrifying as all the hype made it sound.
"Don't mind what I said in the interview a few days ago. That was just to make the match a little more interesting."
"I'm definitely not angry. I like this kind of thing. I'm looking forward to playing you in a few days. We'll give all the fans a great show!"
After Leo Lin and Kimmich chatted for a while, the group walked together in the garden for a bit before returning to their respective hotels.
A little later, The Sun posted photos of players from both teams chatting in the garden before the match.
[Champions League Final Rivals Clash and Trade Verbal Blows in the Garden Before the Match. Judging by the Final Result, No One Won.]
Leo Lin was used to it. Over the years, he had no idea how many interview invitations he had received from The Sun. They had even offered more than a million pounds for a single interview, but Leo Lin simply refused to accept.
June 8, the day of the Champions League final.
Bayern Munich arrived at the Johan Cruijff ArenA first. Liverpool arrived at the stadium a full twenty minutes later.
Leo Lin was the first to step off the bus. For this final, he had specially gone and gotten himself a sharp new haircut.
Rodri and Fabinho followed behind Leo Lin with their luggage. Their somewhat stiff expressions were captured by the media.
"Rodri, don't be nervous. Stay with Leo Lin. He'll help you get used to the Champions League final!"
"Come on, Fabinho. I hope you start!"
"You can't tell Alisson is nervous at all. It's good for a goalkeeper to stay relaxed, but please don't make any mistakes."
Bayern Munich head coach Kovač had deliberately asked his team to enter the dressing room twenty minutes early. People called him a scientist on the pitch because he was good at combining different conventional tactics into new ones.
Half an hour later, the starting lineups for both teams appeared at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, and Gullit began the introductions.
"Liverpool's starting lineup for the Champions League final!"
"Goalkeeper: Alisson."
"Center back: Van Dijk."
"Center back: Matip."
"Fullback: Joe Gomez."
"Fullback: Robertson."
"Defensive midfielder: Rodri."
"Defensive midfielder: Henderson."
"Midfielder: Leo Lin."
"Winger: Mané."
"Winger: Salah."
"Center forward: Firmino."
"Bayern Munich's starting lineup for the final!"
"Goalkeeper: Neuer."
"Center back: Hummels."
"Center back: Süle."
"Fullback: Alaba."
"Fullback: Rafinha."
"Midfielder: Thiago."
"Midfielder: Javi Martínez."
"Attacking midfielder: James Rodríguez."
"Winger: Ribéry."
"Winger: Gnabry."
"Center forward: Lewandowski."
Time returned to six days before the final.
"Of course we have to target him. He's playing this well. If we don't target him, who should we target?"
"But how should we target him?"
"James Rodríguez, don't worry about defending. Your style of play needs you to have the ball more."
"Javi Martínez must keep an eye on Lin at all times. Thiago should mainly look for Gnabry with his passes. We need to create crossing chances from that side!"
"The front players must drop a little deeper, because Liverpool love having their defenders positioned very high up the pitch."
"The reason we were turned around in last season's Champions League was that we didn't stay committed to attacking Liverpool from start to finish!"
"This time, when we face Liverpool again, whether we're leading or trailing, our tactics will never change!"
"Take down Liverpool for me!"
"Take down Zubizarreta for me!"
"Take down Leo Lin for me!"