Klopp discusses Reds' second-leg approach, Bayern form and Allianz atmosphere
Jürgen Klopp hopes Liverpool perform at a high enough level to make their clash with Bayern Munich an open game.
And, should the Reds do so, the boss is upbeat about their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
A 0-0 first-leg draw at Anfield three weeks ago means the last-16 tie is finely poised ahead of Wednesday’s meeting at the Allianz Arena.
Klopp held a pre-match press conference in Munich on Tuesday, during which he discussed topics including Liverpool’s tactical approach, Bayern’s impressive form and the atmosphere he expects inside the stadium.
Read on for a summary…
On whether competing in the Champions League helps or hinders Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge…
I really don’t think there is any other coach in the world or manager in the world who has to answer this question when he plays in the Champions League. That’s really unique, it only happens if you are the Liverpool manager. I only can say that we play this competition - you asked us after we went out in the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup if it’s better for us. We don’t see it like this, we wanted to go through but we didn’t. This time, we want to be focused on this game and if it would harm us, if, we could not change it. The whole world will watch this game tomorrow night… I wish that these guys who write this question down would try to prove someday that it is possible to use their ideas in real life and not in the studio. On the other hand side it will build momentum, yes if we play good football, afterwards. This game has nothing to do with anything else. If we win tomorrow night and deserve to go through, play good football, it could change the world for us. If not we say now it’s over and let’s concentrate on Fulham. Yes, of course that’s how it is. It’s only one game, a very important game, a very, very important game and then more important games will come. Sunday, Fulham and then Tottenham and then the next one. But tomorrow night we only play one of them and that’s against Bayern.
On the difficulty of finding the right balance between defence and attack for this game…
I wouldn’t say it is difficult, but it is a challenge and that’s exactly what we need. We need a rhythm, the right things to do in specific moments. Bayern is a world-class football team, as everyone knows. World-class players and it sounds easy but you have to defend them on absolutely the highest level, on our highest level. And how I know from my experience with Bayern… then when we have the ball, we have to be really confident. That’s difficult against world-class teams; it happens from time to time that you don’t have the balls to play your really brave or your best football, and that’s what we have to show tomorrow night. There will be moments when we can dominate, there will be moments, probably more, when Bayern is dominating, but in both moments you can use the situation and that’s what we try. But the balance, it’s all about that, it’s true.
On that task possibly being made tougher by Bayern’s strong form…
Probably. Three weeks ago, you can see how quickly the world in football can change, Bayern came to Liverpool and we had to explain that we are not the massive favourite in that game. But obviously Bayern adapted to our form, or the form they thought we have so they showed a lot of respect, that’s clear, like other teams did. They defended on a really high level that night, they played football as well but probably not as much as they would do usually. That of course will be different tomorrow night but that doesn’t make the game easier, it’s the other way around. That of course makes it more difficult, but on the other hand side it gives us an opportunity to defend better ourselves - better and on the highest level. That should be possible and then it’s an open game, and an open game you always can win. That’s the first thing to do: to create a situation where it’s really an open game and we have that, we have a good chance and if we have a good chance we will try to use it.
On Liverpool scoring fewer goals from outside the box than in previous seasons…
Actually, how many goals have we scored? Sixty-eight or so? In Germany we say ‘if you don’t have any problems, you create your own’. It sounds a little bit like that, to be honest. If you moan always about something you don’t have then you cannot be a happy person. I don’t think about it too much and it’s not that we say ‘boys, don’t shoot from outside the box’. Phil Coutinho is not here anymore and probably was responsible for 60 per cent of all our shots from outside the box. Ox didn’t really play all year and I remember two goals from outside the box last year when he was playing for us. That’s how it is, it’s no problem. We want to score from everywhere, but we don’t ‘miss it’. We scored enough goals… from where we score, I don’t care.
On the atmosphere he is expecting in the Allianz…
To our Liverpool fans I would say don’t hesitate and give it your all. You can be loud, you can influence. The atmosphere is good here, actually, to be honest. It will be good tomorrow. There is only one chance to calm it down and that’s with football - as well, I think we should give it a try. But it will be difficult, it is a good place to come, it is a good place to enjoy football. It is a good atmosphere, close and all that stuff [which] makes a difference. Usually it’s a good pitch, I don’t know how it is in the moment but it should be OK. So there is nothing between us and a good football game so let’s enjoy it, let’s try.