Lisbon (dpa) – Things are getting really serious for Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool FC. The German coach was also happy about the 3-1 win in the Champions League quarter-finals at Benfica Lisbon, but is already looking ahead to the English league cracker on April 10 against Manchester City.
“Everyone knows how important the next game is,” said the 54-year-old at the Estádio da Luz. “We’re playing against the best team in the world now, that’s just the way it is. We’ll try anyway.” In the fight for the championship, leaders City have a point advantage over the Reds before the top game.
Like their big rivals, Manchester also got in the mood for the explosive game with a win in the first leg of the quarter-finals in the premier class. The Citizens, coached by Pep Guardiola, beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 at home in a tough game. Goal scorer Kevin De Bruyne also looked at the duel with Liverpool afterwards. “There are still five days until Sunday. Both teams played tonight. It’s a big game and everyone is looking forward to it – including us players,” said the former Bundesliga professional.
But who will prevail on Sunday? While practically all players are available to Liverpool despite the enormous strain, City has to do without Rúben Dias and thus an extremely important central defender. And that against the offensive violence of the Reds. In Lisbon, ex-Leipziger Ibrahima Konaté (17th minute), Sadio Mané (34th) and Luis Díaz (87th) scored the goals for Klopp’s team. Other exceptional strikers like Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino only came on in the second half. And had Mohamed Salah taken one of his top chances Liverpool would have won even higher. “We could have scored more goals, maybe we should have,” said Klopp.
City couldn’t say that. Guardiola’s team almost constantly squeezed the walling guests in their own half, but the hosts hardly created any clear chances against Atlético. The Spaniards’ cover only broke for the first time in the middle of the second half. After a fine combination through the center, De Bruyne was free in front of Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak and pushed into the far corner. “It was a perfect template and Kevin’s finish was brilliant,” Guardiola said afterwards. Shortly thereafter, however, he should have already thought of Liverpool.