Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp eager to harness Anfield factor again as Reds bid for Europa League final
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has backed his side to stoke the “Liverpool world” by conjuring another Anfield comeback to dispatch Villarreal in Thursday's semi-final second leg and reach the Europa League final.
Liverpool trail 1-0 from the first leg after conceding a last-gasp strike from Villarreal substitute Adrian Lopez, although for large parts of their Estadio El Madrigal clash they were in the ascendency.
Anfield is noted for its European nights and last month’s stunning resurgence against Borussia Dortmund was the latest in a line of epic fightbacks, an energy which Klopp is keen to harness.
“I have not enough words for this. It’s one of the things in life you cannot buy,” said Klopp. “Feeling things like this is the most special thing, I think that’s the main thing of football. These moments you really know we are all together.
“It’s a moment. I don’t want to make it too big to be honest, but it’s a moment only in football. It’s a moment for the whole Liverpool world, all the fans around the world.
“Everybody will be involved in Liverpool and to know about this is no pressure. It is these 11 starters plus all the boys on the bench, plus all the boys in training, plus the staff. We’ll do everything. I’m happy about the opportunity.”
Klopp has confirmed that midfielder Emre Can is available after being sidelined for three weeks with an ankle ligament injury suffered in the aforementioned clash against Dortmund.
The 48-year-old refused to be drawn on whether striker Daniel Sturridge would start after he was an unused substitute in the first leg, but hinted that England’s Jordan Henderson could recover from a knee problem in time for Euro 2016. Klopp added: “Hendo is in a good way for England [at Euro 2016].”