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Jürgen Klopp is looking forward to the the Round of 16 tie—even
if the Liverpool manager thinks it will be a difficult one.
Liverpool don’t return to Champions
League action until the new year, with the first leg of their
Round of 16 tie away to RB Leipzig on February 16th. With the first
knockout round draw taking place on Monday, though, it’s one of
this week’s main talking points.
And so while Jürgen Klopp and the Reds may not be preparing for
them quite yet, the Liverpool manager today reacted to the draw,
and about the challenge Leipzip will pose for his side—considered
favourites for their European tie but hardly overwhelmingly so.
“Pretty much as tough as it gets,” was Klopp’s read on their
future opponents. “Leipzig played in the semi-final last year and
this year look good again. In a very difficult, tricky group they
went through and says pretty much everything about them,
outstanding.
“I think because they played in the semi-final last year,
probably English people now know them better. It will be a tough
one. It’s the last 16 of the Champions League—how can you find 15
other clubs who are not strong in Europe when you play in this
competition?”
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Of note for many English fans and pundits will be that Leipzig’s
place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League came at the
expense of Manchester
United, as they beat Liverpool’s historic rivals in the final
group game to finish second ahead of them.
Klopp, though, isn’t much concerned about their results against
another English side, seeing Leipzig as a difficult opponent
regardless and one that his players will have to be at their best
if they’re to get past them in two months when European play
resumes.
“For them the fact they finished above [Manchester United] is
good for them and helps them rather than us,” Klopp added. “It’s
not the oldest club, but they are doing a really good job. I
respect a lot what they are doing. I’m looking forward to the
games, honestly.”