Jurgen Klopp wants Liverpool to play “really big football” in the Champions League semi-final with Roma and reveals Lucas Leiva advice.
The Reds won the first leg 5-2 at Anfield and the decider is tomorrow evening in the Eternal City.
“Do we want [to concede] an early goal? No, of course not! But stay really on track in a game like this, stay well, be completely clear in mind and create your own moments. In the moment when you have the chance – do it,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com on the flight to Rome.
Jurgen Klopp wants Liverpool to play “really big football” in the Champions League semi-final with Roma and reveals Lucas Leiva advice.
The Reds won the first leg 5-2 at Anfield and the decider is tomorrow evening in the Eternal City.
“Do we want [to concede] an early goal? No, of course not! But stay really on track in a game like this, stay well, be completely clear in mind and create your own moments. In the moment when you have the chance – do it,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com on the flight to Rome.
“That’s big football, really big football. I loved it [against Manchester City]. Tomorrow, we have to defend them with all we have and we have to attack them with all we have. I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s clear everybody thinks we have to defend the result, but I don’t think it works with offensive things. Of course we need to be brave. But the boys showed very often this season they are ready for these challenges.
“Pretty much everybody wants to impress us when we come. They all shout for their team – that’s completely cool. How we use Anfield, they should be able to use their atmosphere.
“But, in the end, as I’ve said before: if we go through to the final, we deserve it. If they go through to the final, they deserve it. It’s as simple as that.
“Go there, play the best football you can play and then we’ll see after the game what happened.
“[The fans] deserve it, of course. We all deserve it. It was hard work. It was fantastic but nothing happened [yet] really. [There is] still a semi-final to play and then if we win, you want to win the final – that [would be] the next pressure moment.”
Klopp has brought Adam Lallana along on the trip, even though he is not fit to play, but he is looking forward to seeing someone else in Rome.
Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva has already stated he’ll be at the Olimpico cheering on his former Liverpool teammates. Is he giving Klopp some tips on how to face Roma?
“I hope he will visit us tonight in the hotel. We are really looking forward to it. ‘Contact’ is maybe the wrong word but he is writing and I am writing.
“Whenever I can I see a game of Lazio, or when I see the result or him scoring – what a legend he is. And obviously he plays a fantastic season. It’s cool.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him tonight.”