Cape Town - Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was impressed by Liverpool's form in the 2017/18 season, despite their UEFA Champions League final loss.

Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid and thus failed to pick up their first Champions League title since 2005. However, Alonso, who was part of Rafa Benitez's side that year, has insisted that the 2017/18 season was a success despite their final heartbreak.

"It's unbelievable, what they have achieved. And not just their result of reaching the final, the way they have been able to build an idea of how they want to play," he told Liverpool's official website.

"From this strong base, now they have to continue building, adapting and improving. I think that's very important, that they have in this moment this idea about the team, about how they want to play."

In Alonso's final season at Liverpool before his transfer to Real Madrid, the Reds lost the 2008/09 Premier League title to Manchester United by a mere four points. The Spaniard has urged the current crop of Liverpool players to go one better.

"The next step is not securing top four, it is challenging for the title and that's the big one that probably is the most difficult one," Alonso claimed.

"We know Liverpool, they can beat anyone, but they need to find that consistency to be regular in the whole season. We were close, and we didn't make it -- hopefully they can make it."

Liverpool finished fourth for the second successive season in 2017/18, 25 points behind Champions Manchester City. However, the fact that they knocked Pep Guardiola's side out of the Champions League quarter-finals will give hope to the Anfield faithful that 2019 could really be their year.