Liverpool’s double-header with Atletico Madrid in the last-16 of the Champions League has the potential to be their biggest test of the season.
But if they can get past Diego Simeone’s side, who are more than capable of throwing a damp towel over any opponent and nicking a victory, then all bets are off in terms of a domestic and European Double.
I know people will say Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona and Juventus are all well capable of winning the Champions League.
And that City will have become a much more dangerous opponent for anyone given their desire to win the competition this season and stick two fingers up to UEFA.
But, even so, I still make Liverpool favourites to triumph in Europe and defend the crown they won in Atletico’s stadium last June.
The reason for that is that, if they do wrap up the Premier League title by the end of March, which is looking increasingly likely, then, all of a sudden, their players will start looking around the dressing-room and saying to each other, ‘Hey, remember how much we enjoyed winning the Champions League last season? Well, let’s win European Cup No.7 in May to really rubber-stamp this one’.
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
As soon as the Premier League title is officially theirs, they can pretty much split the season in two, blooding youngsters such as Curtis Jones in the top flight and giving their main men little rests here and there to make sure they are firing on all cylinders in Europe.
Jurgen Klopp has made Liverpool a formidable force and anyone who draws them in the Champions League these days will have the same sort of feeling we reserve when one of our clubs gets Real or Barca.
But, even so, you have to ask if Real, Atletico, Barcelona or even City could still beat them over two legs and the answer is, ‘Yes, absolutely’.
So just because they’ve made the Premier League a cakewalk we shouldn’t automatically think they’ll have it all their own way in the Champions League.
After all, they were 3-0 down to Barcelona after the first leg of last season’s semi-final and, while they produced a miracle to turn that around, they won’t always be so lucky, however well the play.
The difference this season is that clubs, no matter how big they are or how strong their pedigree in the Champions League, will tailor what they do to Liverpool’s strengths.
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(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
The test then for Liverpool is to see how they cope with the different circumstances and set-ups they come across in Europe.
And how they deal with individual world-class players on their day because, let’s be honest, they haven’t faced many players fitting that bill in the Premier League for some time now.
They need to remind themselves how difficult it was to get back into that second leg against Barcelona and, with the right attitude and mindset, I’d feel confident in saying they could come through two games against Atletico without conceding.
Two years ago you couldn’t have said that, which again highlights the progress under Klopp.
And if they are successful against Atletico then I see no reason why Liverpool fans can’t look forward to putting a strangle hold on the Champions League for the next few years to come.
