Jurgen Klopp reckons Liverpool will ‘suffer’ when they face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tonight.
Klopp takes his side to face the Spanish champions at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night, as Liverpool look to reach back-to-back finals in Europe’s premier competition.
Five-times winners Barcelona are looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 2015, and are currently on a 31 game unbeaten home run in Europe and Klopp says he expects his side to ‘suffer’ but also to create chances of their own.
“Will we be perfect? That’s not possible. Will we make mistakes? Oh, yes. Will we suffer? Oh, yes, 100%,” Klopp said in his pre-match press conference.
“Will there be moments when we have a chance? Yes, 100%. I hope we will use them – that is what we will try to do.”
Liverpool, like Barcelona, are five-times winners of the European Cup however their sole success since 1984 came in 2005 in Istanbul, while they lost last years final to Barca’s rivals, Real Madrid.
By contrast, Barcelona have won four of their five European crowns in the past 13 years and Klopp says he is ‘excited’ by the prospect of facing their illustrious opponents.
“We were in contention last year, but they have been in contention for nearly 20 years. It will be so difficult, but I couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity.
“I hope my players feel the same.”
The draw also pits Liverpool against familiar faces, with former Anfield favourites Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho likely to be in the Spanish side’s starting line up.
The fixture marks the first time either player has faced Liverpool since leaving for Spain, with Suarez having joined Barcelona in 2014 before Coutinho signed in a £142m deal last year.
