Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool probably got the best draw possible in FC Porto for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, but that doesn’t mean the next tie will be easy. On paper, Porto is probably who you want to be facing, but Klopp promises his team will not let up.
In a season in which judgment has been passed by plenty of outside pundits on what Liverpool’s priorities should be, the German made it known that the Reds will be going all out in midweek.
“We are very ambitious. We will try everything. It’s at Anfield, it’s a quarter-final, it’s a big one for us,” Klopp said to the media after Friday night’s very dramatic 3-1 victory over Southampton FC.
“This is our second year in the Champions League, not year number 12 or whatever.
“We are not Real Madrid who have won it the last three times. We like the competition and we will try everything to win the game.”
Liverpool, who finished runners-up in the competition last season, have the reverse fixture in Portugal next Wednesday. Should they advance, they’ll meet the winner of Barcelona-Manchester United in the semis.
Liverpool vs FC Porto UEFA Champions League FYIs
Kickoff- Tuesday Apr 9, Anfield 8pm
Google Result Probability- Liverpool win 75% Draw 17% FC Porto win 8%
Injury report and LFC starting XI prediction- coming Sunday
Preview press conference video and quotes- coming Monday
Odds via Johnny Bet- Liverpool win 1/3, Draw 5/1, FC Porto 11/1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.