While still in the race for all possible titles, Liverpool will host tomorrow (Wednesday, 22:00), in the first meeting of the semi-finals the most surprising team of the season in the Champions League, the Spanish Villarreal, knowing that they must not underestimate even for a moment the yellow submarine.
Jürgen Klopp Knowing that Liverpool are a clear favorite, he spoke ahead of the match about his great appreciation for Onai Emery: “Of course we did a great job preparing for the match. I have great respect for Villarreal and against Emery even earlier. I saw their games against Bayern Munich and Juventus. Wow! It was impressive.” .
“Onai is a coach who is obsessed with the small details, and knows how to be prepared for different situations during the match. He has different ways to press, different ways to defend, different ways to react. It is very impressive. He is definitely a top coach and does a great job at Villarreal.”
Klopp, who remembers Villarreal impressively ousting two giants from Italy and Germany, added: “They are a great football team, and obviously they want to make history. Maybe they had a slight advantage that Bayern and Juventus did not appreciate them enough. It will never happen with us. This is the first time they can reach the final “And that’s going to be history.”
In the injured section, Jürgen Klopp is expected to have a completely full squad, except for Roberto Firmino who is still suffering from a foot injury, and the coach has confirmed that he will not take part in the match. According to rumors in the English media, Klopp may come up with Ibrahimah Konata on defense alongside Virgil Van Dyke, with the classic link-up featuring Fabigno, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara, and the attacking trio of Diaz, Salah and Mana.
On the other hand, the one who knows Liverpool very well is the Spanish defender Alberto Moreno, A Villarreal player who played for the Reds for about five years spoke of the atmosphere at Anfield: “It will be a more hostile atmosphere than the one waiting for us in Munich. We have quite a few players who have already competed there and it could work in our favor. At this level without suffering. ” Moreno, by the way, will be out of the game due to injury.
And what Leoni Emery Himself was to say? “I think it’s the best Liverpool I’ve seen, but I think it should give more motivation to my players to play a perfect game. They know we’re in that position because we deserve it. For us, it makes the challenge even bigger. Our journey does not have to end.”