Joel Matip: I am not afraid of these big games

The defender is currently readying himself for arguably the toughest test of his fledgling Liverpool career - an away trip to Stamford Bridge to take on a team who have made an impressive start to the new Premier League season.

But the summer signing is excited by the challenge that awaits him in the capital, rather than intimidated.

And he has promised not to let any gamesmanship from the famously competitive Costa distract him from the task of helping the Reds to a clean sheet and a win.

"If an opponent tries to talk to me during the game, really, I don’t [care]," he told the Telegraph. "They can say what they want.

"I don’t think anyone is like Costa. You can play against players who like to make you uncomfortable, but not too many with his size or as famous as him.

"It is always a fight against these big teams and you have to take on the battle. You have to go in there and fight, there is nothing else. As a defender that is something you like – to go out there and win the ball.

"But I don’t prepare only for Costa. I prepare for the whole team. Maybe he will be my direct adversary and I will study to see how he moves. I have seen a lot of his games. But you can never prepare for one player out of 11.

"Against a more typical No 9 at least you know these players and how they play, and where they will be on the pitch. You know what is going to happen, even if it is still difficult to play against.

"Tactically, it is a very different problem to deal with than some other players. There are players who try to say things in a game, but I never care about this.

"In six years in the Bundesliga I had one red card – and then one red card in the Europa League, which was wiped out after.

"You can get emotional sometimes if there is a refereeing decision you do not like but it is not something I have had an issue with."

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The Cameroon international confidently added: "I’m used to playing against these tough sides in Germany – Bayern, Dortmund – and I’ve played in the Champions League. I am not afraid of these games."

Matip took the difficult decision to leave his boyhood club Schalke in order to make the move to Anfield this summer.

But he says the opportunity to link up with Jürgen Klopp and ply his trade in the Premier League was just too good to turn down.

"In the Bundesliga we would always have our eye on games in England – this hard, physical league – so it became a dream to play here," he explained.

"The moment was right when my contract at Schalke was running out. It was hard to leave them. It was like leaving my childhood behind. My school was 50 metres from the stadium. But I knew I was old enough and I had the experience with six years playing in the Bundesliga. I was ready.

"The decision to go to Liverpool was made early. As soon as the opportunity came with the club and the coach I was sure I wanted it.

"I hope everyone will say I am a good one, but I will need time to get better."