Nobody wanted to draw Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp warns Champions League rivals

Tom Doyle30 August 2018

Jurgen Klopp is confident of causing Liverpool's Champions League opponents serious problems despite landing a tough group-stage draw.

Klopp's men were handed a difficult test after Thursday's draw in Monaco, which saw them pitted them against Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade in Group C.

Despite finishing runners-up in last season's competition, Liverpool co-efficient ranking put them in pot 3 of the draw, meaning they were always likely to face at least one top European side.

But despite the prospect of daunting games against French champions PSG and free-scoring Italians Napoli, Klopp claims their group rivals will also be frustrated with the draw.

Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images

He told the club's website: "When you have already a group with Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli - two absolutely top teams - then you don’t want to have Liverpool as the third team!

"It is how it is’ is the best way to describe it; don’t think too much about it.

"If you think about the group, you are already out. If you think it is too difficult, you are already out. We don’t think either. We will play the games, we will be competitive - that’s what we have to make sure - and that is all."

Liverpool were beaten finalists in last season's Champions League, and Klopp says it is business as usual for his men despite facing two sides of European pedigree.

"To be 100 per cent honest, it was not that I had a group I wished for or whatever," he said. "I expected a difficult group, we have a difficult group and that’s what the Champions League is all about.

Uefa Champions League draw | 30/08/2018

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"PSG are one of the most exciting teams in the world and I think their target is to win the Champions League, so that will be two interesting matches. Napoli, we beat them in pre-season but it goes without saying these two games will be completely a different challenge.

"I’ve been to Napoli with Dortmund, so I know what the atmosphere is like there.

"In fact, it’s where I got a suspension [for being sent off]. I can do better, obviously! Red Star, I watched them last night. They came through and it will be, again, a very, very intense atmosphere I am sure.

"But that’s how it is, it’s the group and I am fine with that. Now let’s go."

Liverpool must find a way to stop PSG talisman Neymar, who will line up against fellow Brazilians Fabinho, Alisson and Roberto Firmino for the two group games.

AFP/Getty Images

Klopp said of the French champions: "I am looking forward to watching PSG a bit more often, which is a very interesting project for sure over in France with Thomas Tuchel.

"Facing Neymar will be, for our Brazilian guys, like meeting a friend again and all that stuff. It’s a big challenge, but for all the others it is a big challenge to face us."

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