Klopp ‘really looking forward’ to ‘tough’ Benfica tie after UCL draw

Dan Butterfield
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed he is looking forward to his side’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Benfica.

The draw was made on Friday morning and the Reds were given a favourable clash with the Portuguese side in the quarters with a tie against Bayern Munich or Villarreal awaiting them in the semi-final should they make it through.

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Speaking the Liverpoolfc.com after the completion of the draw, Klopp reflected on the tie and revealed a return to Lisbon holds some special memories for him.

“Really looking forward to it. It’s a quarter-final so a tough one. Benfica did obviously really well against Ajax and that’s the situation; I know people will say we are the favourites and stuff like this, but that’s already the first mistake you could make,” said the German.

“We are too long in the business now to make these kinds of mistakes. I’m just really looking forward to it. I respect a lot what they are doing there, it’s a massive club. I don’t think I ever played there, to be 100 per cent honest.

“Lisbon, a great city, on top of that – I spent my last week off on holiday [before taking the Liverpool job], I got the call from Mike Gordon in Lisbon.

“So that’s a nice memory as well; I was sitting in an outside coffee bar, I got the call and we made the decision actually in Lisbon.”

This will be the first time that Liverpool have faced Benfica under Klopp and the Reds boss has admitted he is looking forward to a new test.

“Absolutely. Really, it’s just cool to know – now preparation starts. Obviously we have a few guys with a Porto history in my coaching staff, so maybe there’s a little bit of a feeling of a derby, if you want. It’s great, absolutely great and can’t wait.”

Liverpool will travel to Benfica in the first-leg before welcoming the Portuguese side to Anfield a week later and whilst Klopp has admitted that is an advantage, his side will still have to do the business in Portugal.

“It’s good. Of course it’s better to have the second leg at home but it depends obviously to the first leg, how you play there.

“That’s what we have to try, that we create a basis there that we can use then Anfield in the second leg. It’s a good one.

“The only thing I didn’t want to have – I would have taken everybody – but the only thing I didn’t want was an English team.

“We had that in the past and we went through, we played a final against an English team, it’s absolutely fine, in the final anyway you take whoever you get.

“But actually I was just happy it’s not an English club, not only because of the quality but because of the competition as well, we play them often enough during a season and it’s good if you play somebody else in the European competitions.”

Liverpool Benfica

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