Rio Ferdinand was having none of it when Michael Owen said Liverpool are still Europe’s best team

Rio Ferdinand disagreed with Michael Owen’s assessment that Liverpool are still the best team in Europe following Saturday night’s Champions League final.

Liverpool, who were in contention to win a historic quadruple one week ago, end the 2021-22 campaign with the Carabao Cup and FA Cup after losing 1-0 to Real Madrid at the Stade de France.

Pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City six days earlier, Liverpool’s season promised so much more than it ultimately delivered.

That’s not to say that Jurgen Klopp’s side have had a poor season. Far from it. But everyone associated with Liverpool will be disappointed after failing to win either the Premier League or Champions League at the end of an extremely demanding and otherwise impressive campaign.

Despite coming up short against Real Madrid, who have been crowned European champions for a record-breaking 14th time, Owen believes that Liverpool are still the continent’s best team.

Speaking live on BT Sport as Madrid’s players lifted the trophy, Owen said: “I don’t think it’ll change much about how [Klopp] will approach the game, that just happens sometimes in football. I still think they’re the best team in Europe, I really do. On other occasions they’d be getting their name etched in the trophy.”

Ferdinand, however, was having none of it.

The Manchester United legend responded: “How can you say they’re the best team in Europe? They’ve just lost the league and the Champions League final.”

Owen replied: “The season they’ve had, I still think they’re the team to beat.

“Real Madrid have got past them today, but you know as well as anyone that a one-off game is a one-off game. I still think they’re the most fearsome team in Europe and they’ve not got any of the big two