Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool are unlikely to win the Champions League this season
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Updated 11/03/2021 at 09:21 GMT
The German manager says it is “kind of” ridiculous to suggest his side can lift the European Cup for a seventh time this season, despite beating RB Leipzig 4-0 on aggregate following a 2-0 second leg win in Budapest, Hungary. The Premier League champions have struggled with their domestic title defence but looked in good form against the Bundesliga’s second placed side.
'We are not silly' – Klopp admits winning Champions League is unlikely
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says their form this season would suggest they are not good enough to win the Champions League this season.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane earned his side a 2-0 last-16 second leg win over RB Leipzig to take them through to the quarter-finals 4-0 on aggregate.
The performances in both matches against the in-form Bundesliga club, played in Budapest, Hungary due to coronavirus travel restrictions, were in stark contrast to their domestic struggles, where the Premier League champions have lost six out of their last seven top flight matches.
Asked if it is a ridiculous suggestion that Liverpool could be in contention to win a seventh European Cup this season, Klopp responded: "It is kind of - but the only reasons you play in this competition is because you want to win it.
But we aren't silly and so far this season it is not one which looks like we will win the Champions League in the end.
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Liverpool celebrate v Leipzig
Image credit: Getty Images
"We have to wait for the draw and it will be an extremely tough game whoever we get.
"We don't really think that far, we think about from tomorrow and about Wolves (on Monday).
"We had momentum in that (the Champions League) but not in the Premier League yet and we will have games to get that back - and that would help the Champions League definitely."
Klopp was able to play Fabinho in his favoured position in midfield, which he admits was key to their improved display.
But he also praised the performance of defender Nat Phillips, who produced one of his best performances in a Liverpool shirt alongside Ozan Kabak.
"Oh my God. What a boy he is, what a player he is, what a night it is for him. That's absolutely great”, said Klopp.
"The concentration level he shows now week in week out since he is playing for us is absolutely incredible.
He is doing exactly the right things at the right moment. In the air he is a monster and you could see today football-wise he is not bad. I couldn't be happier for somebody more than I am for Nat at this moment.
"Not a lot of people get the honour to play a Champions League game and he has that now and he played a really good one and he won it and qualified for the last eight. That is really special."
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