Liverpool are out to deny Real Madrid a third consecutive Champions League crown on Saturday and Jurgen Klopp knows that his opposite number, Zinedine Zidane, is as desperate to win this trophy as he was the previous two.
Asked why some critics believe the Frenchman to have an inferior tactical mind, Klopp defended Zidane and praised the way Los Blancos are set up.
"If people think Zidane doesn't have knowledge, a lot of people think that about me too," the German told reporters. "And it would be funny if two coaches who didn't know about tactics are in the Champions League final.
"What does that say about the game? Zidane was one of the best five players ever to play football, and in three years, where I've been at Liverpool and he at Real Madrid, he has the chance to win the Champions League for a third time, which hasn't been done before.
"Either way he is brilliant, like he was as a player, and the group of players he has work like a clock from Switzerland. I've seen his team play a lot and they play fantastic football. At moments it is organised when it needs to be, and it is chaos when it needs to be.
"They are all world class players, but it is football, so there is an opportunity for the other team as well. Zidane was always a fighter, when he grew up at Marseille, and in his career you need to be a fighter, and as a player he was so much better than everyone else, but he was still a fighter.
"I saw his face when someone asked him about the hunger of us and Real Madrid and the guy who asked the question made him angry. We have different lives and we have to do what we are paid for."
While Zidane is preparing for his third such final, for Klopp this is his second Champions League showdown having lost to Bayern Munich in the 2013 clash while boss of Borussia Dortmund.
"It is a massive difference [from then to now]," he continued. "The Champions League final is really big, as a manager you have lots to do, and for the preparation for the match, but mostly things like being cool and convinced and calm.
"I was much more excited that time with Dortmund, I never thought good things like that would happen to me and getting to the Champions League is hard, it felt like a once in a lifetime chance and we played a great game.
"After that I knew I wanted to get back to that again, it took a while, but I am here because the players have given me the chance again. The players deserve it and and I'm really proud of them."
The German was also queried on how Mohamed Salah is observing the Islamic event of Ramadan, which the winger is said to be interrupting to maximise his preparation for the final.
"Religion is private and I have nothing to say," stated Klopp. "He will be fine though, he is full of power.
"No manager is interested in any comparisons with [Lionel] Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo. They deserve all their praise and are at an amazing level, and we will see if Salah can get there, he has fantastic potential.
"This season he was exceptional, and we have one game to go but nevertheless, this season was outstanding, and in the next few years will see if he can do something more. Those two - Messi and Ronaldo - are the most consistent over the last 10 years, and performed as such a high level."
Directly comparing the two teams ahead of Saturday's game is also of no interest to Klopp, with Real's squad seemingly possessing much more depth than he has at his disposal.
"That is what we've done all season, we have great quality on the bench," noted the coach. "It isn't about comparing, we are fine with what we have, we have the best bench we have had for weeks due to players coming back from injury.
"So we are in a better position than weeks ago. We haven't had chances to change recently. We are as fresh as can be after these two weeks. Playing a final and winning a final, teams have needed luck.
"We need to be ready for any challenged in a game. we really are fine with our tools, with the things we have. Maybe a few clubs have better, but they aren't in the final. We did it our way and we want to do it our way again."