Latest Liverpool news: Jurgen Klopp feels his team are ready for Porto test
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp feels his team are ready for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final clash against FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday.
The Reds are putting the final preparations in for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Porto. We take a 2-0 lead to Portugal but cannot take Porto for granted, especially at their stomping ground.
Addressing in his pre-match press conference, Klopp was asked about the competition within the squad to which he stated: “It’s nice to have these kind of very positive stories, it’s really nice, but it is normal that in a successful team you have these stories.
“The boys like each other a lot. I don’t think Sadio and Mo really have a competition, just to score as many as possible. It’s probably a bit different with Robbo and Trent. They won’t have expected it.
“So far it’s been a very positive season but we’re not here to celebrate that. The season is not finished, we have to fight really hard and are here to get to the next round.”
On Porto boss Sergio Conceicao’s statement of ‘sometimes Liverpool are the best team in the world’, our gaffer quipped: “I’ve never heard that question before… He [Porto boss Sergio Conceicao] has had to answer it too? I thought I was the only manager in the world who has to answer this question…
“Sometimes we are really good, that’s true, and hopefully we can show it again.”
On the injury front, Klopp said it was doubtful for Joe Gomez to start, while Dejan Lovren is ill. Jordan Henderson has recovered from an ankle knock and Adam Lallana has returned back to the squad. (h/t Liverpool.com)
On Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s fitness, our manager added: “Ox is not, it makes more sense for him to train here. However much we all love having Ox around, it makes absolute sense for him that he stays here.
“Today he has a lower [intensity] day and tomorrow a high-intensity day. It’s all about him in the long-term, that’s what we have to consider first.”
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Porto are a very dominant side at home and will go for the kill from minute one as they have to overcome a 2-0 deficit. We hold an upper hand in this tie but any complacency could lead to big trouble. If we can negotiate the first 15-20 minutes of the game, Klopp’s men will get opportunities, which needs to be capitalized then.
