THE FRIGHT STUFF
ANDY ROBERTSON says Liverpool deserve to be the most feared team in Europe.
Reaching the final for the last two seasons and winning it in June is a major factor in that.
But so too is Anfield, a place where sides are routinely blown away by one of the most ferocious atmospheres in football.
And if you don’t believe that, then take a look at the faces of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez there last season when Barcelona were sensationally knocked out in the semi-finals.
That fear factor is something the Liverpool players now sense, according to defender Robertson.
And it is something they have earned the hard way.
“That is the atmosphere we have created in the last two years, a team which has been to the final twice. We are respected in tournament,” he said.
“The first season when we went to the final I don’t think we were respected until maybe after the last 16 when we went to Porto and washed them away. Now we are respected in Europe. No one will want us.”
The reigning champions are second favourites to do it again, marginally behind Premier League rivals Manchester City in the betting.
Yet after their 2-0 win over Salzburg – which guaranteed their place in the draw for the last-16 on Monday – and with the team having barely a weakness, many would argue the trophy (right) is there for the taking once more.
All their major rivals – including City
– have obvious problems this season.
Real Madrid,
Barcelona, even this
Juventus have struggled. Bayern are an ageing team. Paris Saint-germain are flaky. Liverpool have no such flaws.
But Robertson is keen to stress that does not lead to over-confidence. Quite the opposite. He believes the team’s status is a driving force.
“When it gets to the last16 you get to the nitty-gritty bits,” he said. “We have been excellent in the knockout stages but we know that now we are the champions everyone wants to beat us.
“We need to keep proving why people don’t want to play against us, but so far we have done that.
“We know it will be tough, but we look forward to the challenge as we want to go far again, and we have made a big step here.” Liverpool seem to have made another leap forward this season, not least in the Premier League, where they currently hold an eight-point lead over second-place Leicester.
They are a different beast, a side oozing belief and confidence.
There really is no opponent they fear, as City found out recently when they lost 3-1, and they will not be daunted by drawing the likes of Real Madrid in the knockout stage.
Robertson said: “Saturday was the most controlled performance we have had all season. Bournemouth could not deal with us and we controlled the game. We kept the ball and kept the clean sheet.
“Against Salzburg we were really determined to keep a clean sheet because we would be through.
“It was a very good performance – we defended when we had to and Alisson made some saves.”