Liverpool (Archyde.com)
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said Juventus and Bayern Munich might underestimate Villarreal’s strength, but his team will not make the same mistake when the two teams meet in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Villarreal surprised many by defeating European giants Juventus and Bayern in the knockout stages, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in 16 years.
“Maybe there is a slight advantage to Villarreal given the possible underestimation of Juventus or Bayern, but that will not happen with us,” Klopp told reporters ahead of the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday. The opponent wants to appear in the final, but we also feel the same importance.
“This is exceptional, this is crazy, and this is an important match,” he added. Lots of coaches and players do their best throughout their careers without going through this moment. We should celebrate and enjoy it.
The German coach praised his opponent, Unai Emery, describing him as a “high-class coach”, as he managed to lead his team to adapt to different situations in the matches.
“We analyzed Villarreal’s performance,” Klopp said. I have all the respect for Unai and his team. I watched the team up close and they are really amazing. He is a coach who pays attention to detail. He has many ways of imposing pressure and dealing with different outcomes.
It seems unlikely that striker Roberto Firmino, who has missed the last two matches with a foot injury, will recover before Wednesday’s game.
Klopp said: “He’s running off the field and that’s fine for sure, but I’m not sure if he’s going to play.” Maybe someone will surprise me afterwards and say, “Okay, Bobby’s ready,” but I don’t think so.
Liverpool last appeared in the semi-finals three years ago when they faced Barcelona, and Klopp said the support of the fans, who helped him turn from 3-0 down in the first leg in 2019, will be a crucial element.
“We want a similar atmosphere and a strong performance,” he added. I need to be at my best and that’s how the players are and that’s fine. If a semi-final match was easy in this competition, something would have gone wrong. I can’t wait to be honest.
Liverpool has a chance to achieve an unprecedented quartet of titles this season, as it has already crowned the League Cup, reached the FA Cup final, is competing for the Premier League title and is one point behind leaders Manchester City, five rounds before the end.
Klopp said: “This is very extraordinary… We reacted very special to what happened last year, but there is still a long way to go. I realize how quickly things change in football.