Jurgen Klopp urges his Liverpool side to channel their miraculous comeback against Barcelona in 2019… as the Reds attempt to overturn a shock 3-0 deficit against Atalanta
- Liverpool suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League last week.
- Jurgen Klopp’s side will need another miracle to turn things around in the quarter-finals
- Darwin Nunez is a handful, but not deadly. Jurgen Klopp makes excuses for him – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
It’s an improbable but certainly not impossible mission for Liverpool as they head to Bergamo to overturn a shock 3-0 deficit against Atalanta. And Jurgen Klopp wants to recapture the spirit of 2019 when his side pulled off a powerful comeback against Barcelona.
The circumstances are very different. Liverpool roared the Anfield crowd from 3-0 down to win 4-3 on aggregate against the Catalans in 2019. They will now have a noisy band of Italian ultras mocking every touch in a hostile cauldron-like atmosphere at the edge of the Alps.
But it’s hard not to think back to that famous victory, one of the greatest nights in the club’s history, celebrated with plenty of photos and inspirational quotes around Liverpool’s Kirkby training base. Players will find it hard not to be encouraged by these tributes.
Klopp will therefore urge his players to go out with a bang by at least winning the second leg and seeing where that takes them. “I remember (before Barcelona) saying: ‘If we fail, let’s fail in the best possible way,'” said the Reds coach, who also told his team to “show some balls” in 2019.
“And that’s exactly how I see it again. We want to win the match. If we want to win, we better play well. If we play well, we have a chance. After the game (last week), everyone in the stadium was like, ‘This is it.’ But a week later, I don’t think everyone thinks it’s already decided.
Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to channel the spirit of their sensational comeback against Barcelona in 2019 when they face Atalanta with everything to do in the Europa League on Thursday.
Liverpool suffered a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the first leg after a dismal performance
“I’ve been in this business long enough to know that it’s two legs, it’s over when it’s over. We still have the right to play tomorrow, we are 100,000% focused. We are only here to play football, but I cannot win this game in this press conference today.
Liverpool will be without Conor Bradley, but his ankle injury suffered on Sunday is better than initially feared, with the Northern Irishman hoping to return in the first week of May. This opens the door for compatriot Trent Alexander-Arnold to make a first start since early February.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Alisson says it was mentally difficult to be forced to miss eight weeks of the season with a hamstring injury which threatened to derail his campaign. “It was really hard for me,” said the Brazilian number 1.
“I’m a guy that when I’m at home, injured or just resting, I don’t like to watch football. I want to play and be a part of every game! I spent a lot of time in the gym to be in good shape and perhaps better than before.
Georginio Wijnaldum (left) celebrates after completing Liverpool’s stunning comeback against Barcelona in 2019, when the Reds beat Tottenham in the Champions League final.
This superb turnaround is considered one of the greatest European nights in the club’s history.
“It lasted eight weeks of doing double sessions, every day, sometimes three sessions. It was really hard for me. I want to be part of this fight.
Lineup planned by Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Diaz.
