Milner: Barcelona is tough trip but they won’t have experienced many teams like us

THE double dream for Liverpool is still alive – but next up in Europe is the venue of nightmares.

James Milner knows about that.

Twice with Manchester City he went to the Nou Camp, praying for a miracle, twice those hopes were crushed.

And, with them, the spirit of a club who naively thought they were ready to challenge football’s old order.

But the veteran midfielder has an abrupt response for those who question the Reds and wonder whether they are good enough to live with Barcelona – let alone beat them to reach a all second consecutive Champions League final. “Of course, we can beat Barca, yeah,” said Milner. “Of course, we know it’s a tough place to go – they are a strong team – but I don’t think they will have played too many teams like us. So it will be tough for them, too. “They have strong individuals, a strong team, we know that. So we will have to try to stop that and play the way we do. “But they won’t have played against too many teams in the style we play, either.” And that is the key. When Milner went to the Nou Camp in 2014, and then a year later, City were still a team in the making, their style and philosophy still emerging and yet to be forged properly with the arrival of Pep Guardiola soon after.

Twice they lost heavily in the round of 16. They were two stark doses of reality, which prompted the pursuit of the former Barca manager – and the huge budget he was given.

City were beaten and bowed in all four games, home and away, and the memory still sickens Milner. Liverpool, conversely, know exactly who they are and what they can do.

And that is what gives Milner the confidence to dismiss those who believe Jurgen Klopp (left) and his men will wilt under the Catalan heat of a semi-final.

“I’ve played against Barcelona a couple of times before, in the knockout stages, and not had the greatest success,” added Milner.

“The Nou Camp is a fantastic stadium and a fantastic place to play with a great atmosphere.

“We did not get the right result before, so, hopefully, it is third time lucky for me.

“It will be very, very tough and we will have to be at our best.

“But, with the teams we have beaten in the Champions League, we should go there with confidence, no matter how tough it is going to be.” Milner’s confidence is twofold. He believes Liverpool now have the experience of three exciting European campaigns behind them.

And he also believes they have an attacking threat to match even the mighty Barca.

“The experience we have gained getting to a Champions League final, and the Europa League as well, I’m sure you can see it in this year’s run and in games when things haven’t been going well for us,” he said.

“You saw it against Porto. We can play a lot better than that, but, on tough nights, we know how to get results.

“Our forwards have been on fire and the chances are coming from all over.

“That’s so important – sides try to analyse us, see where they can stop us.

“But we come from different avenues, so we are very difficult to stop.”