Klopp tells Liverpool to focus on winning, not overturning deficit after naming bold XI

Jurgen Klopp TEAMtalk

Jurgen Klopp claimed his Liverpool side’s focus is on winning the game against Real Madrid and not overturning the two-goal aggregate scoreline.

Klopp made one change to his side to face Real Madrid on Wednesday evening. Sadio Mane returned in attack with Diogo Jota moving to the bench.

It was however two changes from the side that lost 3-1 to Real in the first leg. James Milner was in for Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino in for Jota.

It was a bold move by Klopp to leave Thiago out of his midfield three and go with the veteran Milner (35y 100d), who becomes the oldest Liverpool player to start a Champions League/European Cup games since Ian Callaghan in 1978.

The German was also brave to leave out Jota and revert to his old from three of Mane, Firmino and Mo Salah. And the German said his side are not thinking about the two-goal deficit, but instead will focus on winning.

Klopp told BT Sport: “We have to defend better.

“We can’t make the same kind of mistakes [as the first leg]. If you are 3-1 down, you have to be close to perfection. We have to avoid conceding as well as scoring goals.

“We know we are not out that, Real know they are not through yet.

“If we play a football game we can cause any last line a problem. The only thing we want to do is win the game, then we will see how much time we have to go through.”

Robertson: Difficult task

Andy Robertson added: “It’s going to be a difficult task but it’s up to us to put in a good performance. It needs to be near perfect.” #awlfc [bt]

“If we keep them out, we need to score two, it’s two less goals than we needed against Barcelona. We need to create an atmosphere without 55,000 fans.”

“We know we have good players – we have had good performances this season but we need another one if we are to get through.”

 Liverpool XI Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino

READ MORE: Imminent Flick departure set to heighten Klopp to Bayern Munich talk