Can Liverpool overcome the odds? A gruelling European away trip awaits the Reds
Liverpool are set for a gruelling European away night at Atalanta as the club looks to defy the odds and make a comeback to qualify themselves for the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Merseyside Reds go into the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals with a three-goal lead as manager Jurgen Klopp evokes memories of Liverpool’s famous Champions League comeback against Barcelona.
The 56-year-old was hesitant to make analogies to the Barcelona game, claiming the absence of the Anfield factor would be a massive point of difference. Merseyside Reds boss Jurgen Klopp rolled back years in his pre-game press conference with a similar quote to what he said before that magical night against Barcelona: “If we fail, then let’s fail in the most beautiful way.”
What did Jurgen Klopp say ahead of the game citing a memorable comeback?
It is a difficult task, although if one team can give us a beautiful and magical experience, it is Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The fact that he bids adieu to at the end of this season will add more spice to the tie and serve as extra motivation for the players to go all the way in the European second-tier competition.
In his pre-game press conference, Jurgen Klopp insisted that his team will play in a way that gives them an opportunity to take the tie home. He said (via. The Guardian):
“I remember I said, ‘If we fail, then let’s fail in the most beautiful way,’” the Liverpool manager said. “And that’s exactly how I see it again. If we want to win, we better play well. If we play good, we have a chance to win it, and then we will see.”
“After last week’s game, everyone in the stadium thought: ‘That’s it.’ But since then, a week later, I don’t think everybody thinks it’s already decided. We can be good. Obviously, we can be not so good as well. Let’s see what we can put on the pitch tomorrow.”
This is only the second time that Liverpool’s opponents later today, Atalanta, are hoping to reach the European semi-finals in their history. Their last appearance was in the 1987–88 season when they ended up winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup as a Serie B team.
More Liverpool news
- Liverpool can take a book out of Hellas Verona’s book to complete Atalanta comeback
- Premier League winning ace backs current boss to thrive at Anfield as Klopp’s successor
- Liverpool set to rival Arsenal for Bundesliga defender with 39 appearances this season
It is a big night for Liverpool and one that can turn into a historic fixture in the club’s history if the players are able to give a performance at the best of their abilities, being the tiebreaker to advance to the penultimate stages of the Europa League.
