Reds are ‘ready’ for Villarreal

JURGEN Klopp has vowed Liverpool will not underestimate Champions League semi-final opponents Villarreal and head coach Unai Emery.

Almost six years ago, in his first season at the Merseyside club, Klopp’s side led 1-0 at half-time of the Europa League final against Emery’s Sevilla in Basel then lost 3-1.

It was the only time Emery has beaten Klopp, losing four and drawing one in his time at the Arsenal helm.

Villarreal, last year’s

Europa League winners, are bidding to reach their first Champions League final but Klopp insists the Reds will not make the mistakes of Juventus and Bayern Munich, who they have dispatched.

“So many coaches out there work their socks off their whole life and have no chance to be close to a semi-final so we have to enjoy it,” said Klopp.

“There might have been a little advantage in the last two games.

“Maybe Juve or Bayern under-estimated them, but that will never happen to us.

Klopp said he has not thought about the 2016 Europa League final defeat for a while but believes it was a significant moment, just seven months into his Anfield reign.

“Would it have been anything different since then if we had won that night? I don’t think so.

“I would have loved to have lifted that trophy that night but you have to learn from these things and that’s what we tried to do.”