BRING IT ON!
Roma next as Klopp targets Euro glory
LIVERPOOL will try to send Roma the same way as Manchester City with a first-leg demolition job in their Champions League semi-final.
Jurgen Klopp’s men hope to take a big step towards their dream of winning a sixth European Cup when the Italians arrive at Anfield on Tuesday April 24.
‘The first leg at home? I am really looking forward to it, it will be great,’ said Klopp. ‘Whichever opponent we would have got, I would have said there is a chance because it is football — so there is a chance against Roma.’
It is the most significant meeting between the sides since the 1984 European Cup final, which Liverpool won at the Stadio Olimpico on penalties. They also won their first European Cup in Rome in 1977 and Klopp intends to view DVDs of both finals.
‘I will watch them for sure,’ he said. ‘It is destiny. If I find something that helped make this place even more remarkable or special for Liverpool, then I will use it. Rome is still Rome. It is the place. It is good to have role models but, in the end, you have to do it your own way.’
Mohamed Salah will face the club who sold him for £36.9million last July and he said: ‘It will be nice to go back to Rome. They have all said to me, “We don’t want to play against Liverpool”.’
The second leg is on May 2 and the other last-four tie sees Bayern Munich face Real Madrid.
In the Europa League, Arsenal face competition favourites Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals.
HISTORY: It stalks Jurgen Klopp on a daily basis. When he climbs the stairs to his office at Melwood, he sees the European Cup that Liverpool brought home from Istanbul 13 years ago.
On the walls of their training base there are countless pictures of European Cup winners, men whose achievements built this club’s reputation. Klopp is respectful of Liverpool’s heritage but, usually, he sees no point in looking back to what went before.
At lunchtime yesterday, however, when his side avoided Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and were paired with Roma in the Champions League semi-finals, Klopp knew the moment was right to contradict himself. In a draw loaded with historical references, the Eternal City is a shrine to the era when Liverpool ruled Europe.
So Klopp, in the next week, will watch DVDs of those finals and study those golden images, from Tommy Smith soaring against Borussia Monchengladbach in 1977 to Bruce Grobbelaar’s spaghetti legs in the shootout that toppled Roma in 1984.
Will it help prepare for the tactical battle at the end of the month? No. But, as he attempts to join Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Rafa Benitez — the immortal managers who delivered Europe’s greatest prize — Klopp knows somewhere in the grainy footage inspiration will be lurking.
‘I will watch them for sure,’ said Klopp. ‘It is destiny. If any German goes to Bern in Switzerland, he cannot avoid thinking about 1954 (Germany’s first World Cup win). There are not a lot of people around on the planet from that time now, but it is just a special place. You think, “OK, it happened here, well done all those guys”.
‘If I find something that helped make this place even more remarkable or special for Liverpool, then I will use it. Rome is still Rome. It is the place. It is not who did what or when. It’s the place.’
Klopp is right. Istanbul may be freshest in Liverpudlian minds but Rome is where the club’s most decorated player, Phil Neal, scored in two finals; where Graeme Souness overwhelmed the Italians in their own stadium. An opportunity is there for one of the current group to join that company.
‘I love our history but it is not allowed to compare us constantly,’ said Klopp. ‘Those teams were great but they became great in these situations and now people say, “They did it like this”. The legends we all love are around and they are clapping because they like this!
‘Kenny Dalglish is over the moon and completely on fire. Steven Gerrard and all the other guys in between, you can feel it and see it. That’s cool. It is good to have role models but, in the end, you have to do it your own way.’
That is what Liverpool are doing. They are starting to flourish under Klopp and the 5-1 aggregate defeat of Manchester City in the last eight, coupled with their excellent league form — only two defeats in the last 24 matches — has led confidence to burgeon. It is in these moments, though, that Klopp becomes anxious. For all the praise that has come their way since beating Premier League champions-elect City, he has been at pains not to alter the structure of the working week.
The only change in the routine has been a visit from club president Mike Gordon.
For all the subplots that have been thrown up, such as Mo Salah returning to the club who sold him last July — ‘I have happy memories,’ said the Egyptian. ‘I love the fans there and they love me too’ – Liverpool have achieved nothing yet. That is a message Klopp feels the need to reinforce.
‘When you are constantly told you are fantastic, it is the first step towards not being fantastic any more,’ said Klopp. ‘We have to stay really angry.
‘We have so much to go for and it will never stop because even if the season is finished there will be space for improvement.
‘We will work towards that. It is the plan. The relationship between us and the supporters was always good, but the belief from both sides has reached the next level and that is all credit to the boys because of the things they did. But now you have to stay greedy and want the next step.’
The next step in Europe would be the final and another chance to make history. Those who believe in omens will note the last time the four semi-finalists were from England, Spain, Italy and Germany, Liverpool ended up lifting the trophy in 1981.
Perhaps this campaign will end the same way but, if they are to climb that summit in Kiev on May 26, it won’t be down to past achievements. Klopp recognises an illustrious past can play a part but destiny will be only reached if Liverpool stick to what they have been doing.
‘If someone thinks we will have an easy game, I cannot help this person,’ said Klopp. ‘From an excitement point of view, it’s cool because I’ve never played in Rome. ‘It’s a beautiful city for sure. But we are not there for sightseeing.’