Football

Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp relishes ‘proper football game’ with Barcelona in semis


Jürgen Klopp said Liverpool had made a big statement on the European stage by reaching the Champions League semi-finals for a second year in a row. “That is really something crazy,” Klopp said after his team’s ultimately convincing quarter-final defeat of Porto.

Liverpool will face the Spanish champions-elect Barcelona in the last four after recording a 4-1 second-leg win against Sérgio Conceição’s team. The match was more awkward than the final scoreline indicates, with Porto dominant until VAR overturned a decision to disallow Sadio Mané’s opening goal for offside. And Klopp believes another appearance in the semi-finals of Europe’s top club competition underlines the strides Liverpool have made in recent seasons.

“I know that people like to be disrespectful to Porto but we knew how difficult it would be,” the Liverpool manager said. “We won 2-0 at home and deserved it but anything could have happened here tonight. In the quarter-final there are only really strong teams and in the semi-final as well. I didn’t see anything of Tottenham and City but I saw Ajax and if I was wearing my hat still [he would doff it]. It is unbelievable how they play and the biggest compliment how they went through beating Real Madrid and Juve.

“Now we are in the semi-final against Barcelona. I’m really happy about the fact we play them. We will find things we think we could use but on the other side I don’t care. We play on Sunday against Cardiff. That’s in my mind, not how we play against Barcelona. We have enough time for that. I’m looking forward to it but not tonight.

“It is really good news that there is a proper football game between Liverpool and Barcelona. To be in the semi-final for a second time in a row is a big statement. I’m really proud of the boys, it is brilliant what they did. Doing it in different ways makes it even more special.”

Lionel Messi was in imperious form during Barcelona’s defeat of Manchester United on Tuesday but Klopp preferred to savour victory in Porto than dwell on the obvious threat that awaits in the next round.

“Thank God I don’t have to think about that tonight. I have a few more nights to think about that,” he said. “So many teams tried [to stop Messi] but nobody really did it. We have so many jobs to do before we meet Barcelona though. Let’s first play these games and we will see.”



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