Anfield is one of the best stadiums in the world in terms of the atmosphere it generates.
Speaking to Yahoo Sports as quoted by The Mirror, Villarreal midfielder Etienne Capoue opines that ‘Anfield is hell’ ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool.
The Reds have cemented their place amongst Europe and England’s elite once again in the last few years. We have absolutely decimated opponent teams here on occasions and the simple thought of playing here instils fear in the opposition’s hearts. Anfield really has been our extra man as we have created an almost impregnable fortress here.
We can thus understand the huge advantage that our home ground gives us. The fans coming and helping us on those glorious nights in Europe gives you a sense of unity and affection. It creates an atmosphere that is a living embodiment of the phrase ‘You”ll Never Walk Alone’.
Capoue rightly stated that the kind of atmosphere present at Anfield can be a living nightmare for any player who dons the opposition jersey.
“Anfield is hell, you have to say it how it is. It’s hell. It’s the worst stadium I’ve been to in England. Whether it’s the atmosphere, the way they play… For 90 minutes, you live in hell. They have this ability to transcend themselves, to cause you nothing but problems, all the time, in any part of the field.”
The French midfielder also spoke about the constant pressing and intense style of football on display by Liverpool. The Gegenpress with time has become synonymous with the Reds as they have dished out one victory after another using the same ideology.
“They never stop, they rush you all the time, they only want to score goals, and even when they score, they carry on. They want to knock you out. They don’t care what or who is in front of them. They just want to kill everyone and that’s it.”
The fact that opposition players are afraid of the vibe at Anfield is good news but shouldn’t surprise us in the least. We have caused some grave upsets here in the past with the 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the 2018-19 Champions league season being one of our most memorable ones.
The 33-year-old midfielder has lavished us with such high praise but we should not let this make us complacent against our rivals. Capoue has been a sturdy presence for Unai Emery’s men in the middle of the park this campaign, bagging three goals and three assists in 37 matches across all competitions for the Spanish club in the 2021-22 season.
Villarreal are well drilled to absorb attack after attack and land a killer blow with a limited number of opportunities. The Spanish club managed to do that against Juventus and Bayern Munich and we should be wary of their solidity and rigidity at the back.
The Reds are having an amazing season so far already bagging their first major trophy in February by beating Chelsea to win the EFL Cup. We are on the cusp of a potential quadruple but will have to down Emery’s men to get one step closer to that dream.
We shall need all the energy that the atmosphere at Anfield can provide us. We hope that it does become an inferno for our opponents on the night as relayed by Etienne Capoue. Fans would fondly remember the return leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-final back in 2016, when Anfield was at its roaring best- helping the Reds overturn a 1-0 deficit in the first leg to win 3-0 on the night.
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