Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has fired a stern caution to the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, claiming the Reds have a ‘great chance’ of winning the Champions League. The Reds were in rollicking form as they crushed FC Porto 5-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Lovren partnered January signing Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence as the Merseysiders managed to keep their fourth European clean sheet of the season. The win over Porto was a giant stride towards the quarterfinals as Jurgen Klopp’s men are expected to go through when they host the Portuguese outfit at Anfield for the second leg.
However, Lovren is now thinking beyond the Porto tie, claiming the Reds are capable of beating any European side to go on to the win the Champions League in May.
“Why not? Of course (we can win it),” the Croatian was quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“Yes, if we are right and we do our job like we did and everyone defends well – each centimetre of the pitch is covered – then we have a great chance. We have to take it step by step.
“Don’t forget about Liverpool. We have so much quality so we can beat everyone if we are on our top level – as simple as that.”
The likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are tipped as favourites in the Champions League but the Liverpool centre-back says the club is relishing their status as ‘underdogs’ as they head to clinch their sixth European crown.
“It is good when they don’t talk about us,” the 28-year-old added.
“Maybe they would consider them to be the favourites – even better. We are the underdogs I would say. I love that when people think that about us.
“It is something from deep inside that will explode but we need to be calm and finish the second game at home and let’s see what happens later.”
Indeed, Liverpool’s outclassing of Porto illustrated the team’s qualities and showed why every other team playing in Europe needs to be scared of us.
The attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane ripped Porto’s defence to shreds and if our backline can stay solid and not concede cheap goals, I feel we can beat any team and win this coveted competition.
