Reds are reluctant to make empty promises
n LIVERPOOL have called for ‘the strongest possible preventative measures’ to be taken over racist abuse on social media after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita and Sadio Mane were targeted. Defender Alexander-Arnold (pictured), midfielder Keita and forward Mane were sent racist emojis and comments via Instagram following Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg loss to Real Madrid in Spain. Liverpool said in a statement: ‘Once again we are sadly discussing abhorrent racial abuse the morning after a football game. It is utterly unacceptable and it has to stop. We know that this will not be enough until the strongest possible preventative measures are taken by social media platforms and the regulatory bodies which govern them.’
JURGEN KLOPP insists his Liverpool side are not ‘comeback kings’ and turning around their Champions League fortunes will not be easy – especially at an empty Anfield.
Klopp’s men lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in their quarter-final, first leg tie on Tuesday, sparking hopes they could mount a heroic fightback reminiscent of their 2019 turnaround against Barcelona when the Reds came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 on aggregate.
That paved the way for them to win a sixth European Cup but the difference this time will be they will host Madrid in next Wednesday’s second leg behind closed doors.
Klopp said: ‘ Of course, it is completely different. Completely different.
‘If you want to have some emotional memories, then you watch the Barcelona game back and 80 per cent of this game was the atmosphere in the stadium, so yes, we have to do it without
I don’t sit here and think ‘comebacks are our thing, we do it all the time’
that. But it is not that I sit here and think, “Comebacks are our thing, we do it all the time”. We did from time to time but we always had supporters in the stadium.
‘We don’t have that this time so I don’t know if we can do it but I can promise you we will give it a proper try.
‘It must be a really tricky task for Real with or without supporters.’
Klopp, meanwhile, says his men cannot prioritise competitions as they chase fourth place in the Premier League, with winning the Champions League also offering them a route back to Europe’s top table next season.
‘We cannot be picky with that, we have to go for everything,’ he added, with his side facing Aston Villa in the league on Saturday. ‘It’s not like we can now make the decision after that game, “There is no chance for us in the Champions League any more”.
‘In the Premier League, we cannot change it every week – we have to fight until the end and we will.’