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Boss Klopp claims Brazil want to play football the Liverpool way
JURGEN KLOPP has told Liverpool fans it really will be just like watching Brazil in the Mersey derby at Anfield today.
Incredibly, the new manager of Brazil, Tite, has told Klopp he wants to model his side on the Reds. The Brazilians, helped by Anfield pair Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho, this week became the first team to qualify for the 2018
JURGEN KLOPP has dismissed the Mersey derby pressure, and insisted his side will laugh in the face of it.
The Liverpool boss joked that he is “a genius with derbies” as he prepared for today’s showdown with Everton which will define both clubs’ seasons. And his message to his team ahead of a game that could make or break both sides’ Champions League hopes is simply that anything which does not kill you makes you stronger – including the tension generated by one of the biggest local rivalries world football. The German coach said: “It is opportunity not pressure. I know what happens around derbies, but what I learnt is that it helps a lot if you don’t think too much about the pressure in games like this. “It is a big chance. We all know how important it is for everybody. The pressure is always there and we are under pressure because of different things, but that is a normal part of life. “I really do see it as an opportunity. For me it is the right way, to go into a game like this really positive. “We need to be really aggressive, but with this kind of positive aggression.” Klopp said that he will have slept like a baby the night before the big clash at Anfield, despite realising exactly what is at stake.
Victory would effectively kill off Everton’s top-four ambitions and reduce the number of rivals that the Reds must battle with to secure a Champions League berth.
Defeat for Liverpool would be unimaginable – allowing their neighbours to close the gap on them to just three points.
But Klopp is adamant his team will embrace the pressure and make it work for them. “I am not skilled in many parts of life, but perhaps I’m a genius with derbies,” he laughed.
“I didn’t need a second to understand the derby when I came to Liverpool.
“It is a moment when the world stops for 90 minutes. We must do the right things. We have to be aggressive, but not too aggressive – be hard and especially against yourself.
“Not that we want to show that we are really ready to make crazy challenges or whatever, but we are ready to hurt ourselves. That is how I understand it.”
Klopp also said he would be fully rested before the game, adding: “If I created an atmosphere in the team with the feeling I couldn’t sleep then maybe it would affect one of the players – and that would be much worse than me not sleeping.
“Think about it for as long as makes sense and then stop, relax and prepare the power you need to win the game.”
Klopp has problems in midfield with Adam Lallana ruled out and Jordan Henderson suffering a set-back with a foot injury which will keep him out for another week at least.
The manager said: “Adam is a special player for us, but we will have a solution.”