Jurgen Klopp happy to avoid Chelsea and Manchester City in Champions League, excited by Real Madrid

ByAlex Livie

Published 19/03/2021 at 18:19 GMT

"It’s only just over two years ago that we faced them and it was a tough night for us, so to get the chance to play them again is cool." Liverpool tasted defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League in 2018. The Reds went on to win the competition 12 months later and it is their best route back in.

Jurgen Klopp has said he was happy Liverpool avoided Chelsea and Manchester City in the Champions League quarter finals, but is wary of the threat posed by Real Madrid.

The Reds were pulled out alongside current Liga champions Real, which will be their first meeting since the Spanish giants beat Liverpool in 2018 Champions League final.

There was quality oozing through the eight sides remaining in the competition, but Klopp was happy to sidestep Liverpool’s Premier League rivals.

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“I think we are all the same: Bayern doesn’t want to play Dortmund, for example, because they are from the same country and for us, it was City and Chelsea,” Klopp told the club’s official website.

“If we can avoid as long as possible then you do it, but all the rest, it was clear we would face a tough opponent.”

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Reflecting on the draw with Real, Klopp said it will be a strange experience facing Zinedine Zidane's men without Cristiano Ronaldo.

“It’s exciting, exciting,” he said. “It’s obviously a tough draw but I am fine with it.

It’s only just over two years ago that we faced them and it was a tough night for us, so to get the chance to play them again is cool.

I think it’s the first time I faced them when Cristiano [Ronaldo] is not there; probably maybe the first time since [Gareth] Bale is not there. But obviously [Sergio] Ramos is still there, [Raphael] Varane still there, [Toni] Kroos still there, [Luka] Modric still there, Casemiro still there, [Dani] Carvajal still there, [Karim] Benzema still there.

“And a few young prospects, proper players on top of that. Again, I’m really looking forward to it.”

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