Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia Toral spoke of his team making history after a late Adrian Lopez goal saw his side beat Liverpool 1-0 in Thursday's Europa League semifinal first leg at El Madrigal.
A tight and tactical first half saw few clear chances and no goals, while the second period saw both Villarreal's Cedric Bakambu and Liverpool's Roberto Firmino hit the woodwork.
Just as it seemed the teams were heading towards next Thursday's second leg at Anfield with the tie neatly balanced -- Villarreal struck in the 90th minute with a beautifully constructed counter involving Bruno Soriano and Denis Suarez finished from close range by substitute Adrian Lopez.
The La Liga outfit's coach told his postgame news conference that for his team to have beaten a club with Liverpool's history and pedigree was something that everyone associated with Villarreal had enjoyed.
"It is a very good result. We will see if it is good enough," Marcelino said. "We are very proud of how the team played, the work they put in. The result is not unfair -- we have not beaten Liverpool by chance.
"We played against a team with an extraordinary trophy record. From the draw, we all thought -- players, fans, everyone at Villarreal -- about this game. We had the chance to make history. Fortunately we have had one of those nights that all professionals want to experience -- with the atmosphere, the spectacle, against this rival, with this result."
Marcelino said he had been surprised at how cautiously Liverpool had set up, considering the wealth of attacking options available to Klopp.
"We were very good defensively against a team full of €30 million-plus attackers," he said. "We left them with very few chances, although both teams had their spells of domination in midfield. They came here very cautious, more than usually, with three central midfielders and without two forwards. That surprised us. They came to try and keep the result as it was and hit us on the break. We managed to score in a very fair and deserved way."
Klopp told his news conference he expected a different game at Anfield this week, but Marcelino said a more offensive Liverpool approach might suit his own team too.
"At home they tend to be very intense and push forward," he said. "We will have to play well, we know they will press high up. But that has its pros and cons. When you press high and push players forward, you have less in defence. We will have to defend very well that is clear. We will try and de-activate their attack, close to the penalty area."
The Asturian coach, who took charge of Villarreal in January 2013 with the team in Spain's second division and has them on the brink of their first-ever European final, said it was hard to believe how far they had travelled in such a short time.
"To think three years ago, we could experience this night, nobody would have thought it," Marcelino said. "The players are those who make the efforts, the sacrifices, for us to enjoy. The fans have enjoyed themselves today -- and were an important part in achieving what we have done in three years. We will see if in another week's time we will have an even bigger joy."
A touchline encounter during the second half which ended with a hug between him and Klopp was brushed off.
"On the bench we both have hot blood, both of us," he said. "I'll avoid conflict with him -- as I'd have everything to lose. But it's nothing. I admire Klopp as a coach. The week before signing for Villarreal, I was with my coaches in La Manga, watching Klopp's Dortmund train. I love how his teams play. He has changed Liverpool's style."