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LONDON. — In need of another famous Champions League fightback, Liverpool cannot rely on a wave of passion, colour and noise from the stands at Anfield.
If the English champions are to reach the semi-finals, for the third time in four years tonight, they will instead need their manager, Jurgen Klopp, to conjure the motivation and tactical masterplan.
They face Real Madrid needing to overhaul a 1-3 first leg deficit.
Klopp has earned near god-like status on Merseyside, for delivering a sixth European Cup, and a first league title for 30 years.
But the charismatic German has been unable to halt the Reds’ fall from grace this season.
With seven games to play in the English Premier League, it is already mathematically impossible for Liverpool to retain their title, as they lie 22 points adrift of Manchester City, in fifth.
Liverpool’s deficit is not as steep as when Barcelona visited two years ago in the semi-finals, in what turned out to be arguably the greatest of all the memorable European nights at Anfield.
Depleted by injuries, Klopp’s men still rolled over Barca’s stellar cast of star names 4-0 on their way to winning the trophy.
“If you want to have some emotional memories, then you watch the Barcelona game back and 80 percent of this game was the atmosphere in the stadium, so yes, we have to do it without that,” said Klopp after the first leg. — AFP.
Online Reporter