Klopp: We won’t ease past quality Portuguese
JURGEN KLOPP will demand his Liverpool team show “respect” to Porto and the mental strength not to succumb to complacency.
The Reds were offered what many consider the plum Champions’ League quarter-final draw when they pulled the 100-1 Portuguese outsiders – who they thrashed 5-0 last season on their own ground – out of the hat.
But even though that made many bookies immediately slash odds to make Liverpool the second favourites behind Manchester City, Klopp will not tolerate a casual approach to the tie.
Of the win at the Estadio do Dragao a year ago, he said: “That will offer Porto even more motivation. I could not be further away from thinking it’s the best draw because it isn’t.
“The first thing you have to do is make sure everybody respects the opponent the right way – and we will do that. We will know about the quality of Porto and then we have to play the game.”
But Klopp admitted Liverpool have a secret weapon against Porto as his No.2 Pep Lijnders coached at the club.
Klopp said: “We have a specialist for Porto in our own team in Pep being there in the past.
“We will have plenty of info and that’s what you need before a game. Now we know it, let’s prepare.”
If the Reds come through this tie, they will meet the winners of Barcelona Manchester United
But Klopp said: “Porto are the opponent that’s all we will be thinking about.”