Klopp happy to return to the scene of last May’s triumph
LIVERPOOL are heading back to the scene of last season’s Champions League triumph after boss Jurgen Klopp claimed he knew they would be playing in Madrid.
Klopp watched yesterday’s draw from the club’s base in Qatar, where they are preparing for tomorrow’s Club World Cup game against Monterrey.
And when Liverpool’s name came out of the draw next to Atletico Madrid’s, it came as no surprise to Klopp, who led the club to victory in last year’s final at the Wanda Metropolitano against Tottenham.
Klopp will now go head to head against Diego Simeone, below, and he said: “Before the draw I actually thought it would be Madrid – either one of the two clubs.
“Madrid is a place where we only have fantastic memories, all of us, so that’s great, but this time we play Atletico there and it’s their home ground.
“It’s a tough one, but if you go through all of the draws, there are pretty much four or five potential finals already in the last 16.
“So, it’s really good; a good draw, a difficult game like it should be.
I don’t think Mr Simeone is running through his living room and is happy that he got Liverpool.
“It will be a tough game – two teams who are used to playing intense football, different styles and
slightly different organisation but both are ready for intensity and that makes it tough for both of us.”
As for heading back to Wanda Metropolitano, Klopp knows there will be extra poignancy given the events of six months ago.
He said: “I think so, we’ll think we had the home dressing room in that game. Maybe we can ask them, ‘Can we have that dressing room again?’
“It was
really nice. see.
IIt was full with Liverpool signs, but I think they’ve got rid of them.
“It is fantastic. I had one of the best nights of my life in this stadium, but this time – first and foremost – we have to go there to work and try our best. Then they have to come to Anfield, which is a nice place too.” All the teams left in the draw were from the top five European leagues for the first time since the last 16 was begun in 2003-04. Klopp thinks that quality will make for a superb knockout stage, saying: “I said last time that it is the strongest ever last 16 or last eight, but it looks like it becomes stronger and stronger every year. “That’s what the Champions League should be. There were never easy opponents in any round.
“It feels like a day since we did the job in the group stage.
“It’s still fresh and we were happy that night and we’re still happy that we can face a strong opponent in this round now.”