Liverpool must be ready to suffer, says Klopp
LIVERPOOL have only done half the job in their Champions League semi-final against Villarreal and the Premier League side must be prepared for the worst against Unai Emery’s team in the second leg, manager has Jurgen Klopp warned.
The Reds beat Villarreal 2-0 at Anfield last Wednesday and have won every away game in the competition this season, but Emery has an 84% success rate as a coach in European knockout ties since 2010.
“We didn’t win the games by sitting deep and counter-attacking,” Klopp said ahead of today’s second leg in Spain.
“We tried to play as ourselves and we have to do that again. We have to be ready to suffer and sit back in moments, but not as a general approach.”
Liverpool have lost only once this year as they seek an unprecedented quadruple of trophies.
“We must’ve done something right in the last few months. The problem now is everything is perfect, then the next game we start on the wrong foot and all of a sudden the game is different,” Klopp said.
“We know we’re in a good moment. But what do you do if you lose 2-0 away? Why should I think about the past? Let’s say Villarreal have the first shot on target, the crowd goes up for each challenge… that’s how it is.”
“Maturity and experience” will be important, but not decisive factors.
“They will try to play much more football than we allowed them in the first game,” he added.
“Unai will surely try to adapt a few things. It will be really interesting. Maturity is important, but not the only thing.”
Klopp said forward Roberto Firmino has started running again after a foot injury, but was still experiencing pain and will not play in the match.
Meanwhile, Emery insisted Villarreal are not playing for pride but believe they can beat Liverpool.
Villarreal were undone by two goals in two minutes in the second half at Anfield but Emery remained adamant that Villarreal, who knocked out Juventus in the last 16 and Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, can still turn the tie around at La Ceramica.
“In the first leg, they were better but tomorrow we are not just playing for pride, we are playing to win,” said Emery yesterday.
“Liverpool this season have not lost a game by more than two goals, so we will have to play a perfect match, to be outstanding in everything we do. We’ll have to find more of their weaknesses.”
Villarreal sit seventh in La Liga but, after winning the Europa League last season, have raised their game in the Champions League.
“There are several things that change from the first leg,” said Emery.
“Coming back from 2-0 is very difficult, but it benefits us that away goals don’t count for double. It’s like a normal game. And the home advantage was very important there at Anfield.”
Emery said Villarreal’s star striker Gerard Moreno, who missed the first leg through injury, trained with the squad yesterday, but Arnaut Danjuma is struggling with a foot problem, while Yeremy Pino and Alberto Moreno are both out.
“We know what’s at stake,” said Villarreal defender Pau Torres.
“We have prepared well, we are a better Villarreal than we were last week. We have our plan, we know what we have to do, we have our fans on our side.
“We have seen a very strong Villarreal this season at home in very important games so we know what we have to do.”