Jurgen Klopp excited by Liverpool's Champions League clash with 'European royalty' Inter

Premier League title chasers face Serie A champions in last-16 first leg at San Siro

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, right, leads training on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 clash with Inter Milan. PA

Jurgen Klopp savoured the return of “European royalty football” as he urged Liverpool to get the result against Inter Milan in Italy to ensure they don’t have to rely on the Anfield factor to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Serie A champions host the 2020 Premier League winners on Wednesday with Liverpool bidding to reach a third Champions League final in five seasons. It is a fixture with a controversial past, with Inter beating Liverpool in the 1965 European Cup semi-final in a tie when the referee was subsequently accused of taking bribes.

But Klopp believes the past should not be a burden, explaining: “I think you have to use history but not suffer from it. Two big clubs, two incredibly successful clubs, but that is what the Champions League should be. We just know we face an incredible strong team and that is difficult enough.

"We don’t have to put history on top of that. Us against Inter is massive: proper European royalty football. Inter is a top-class team: top-class players, top-class manager. You cannot see it in the table but they are probably the best team in Italy again this year. It is one of these games, if I wasn’t going to be there, I would watch it, definitely.”

Liverpool have already won at San Siro this season, beating AC Milan 2-1 with a weakened team in December as they got a perfect group-stage record for the first time.

“It was incredible but it doesn’t help us now,” said Klopp. “In the years we went to the final we had pretty average group-stage results, we came through pretty much on one wheel, but it didn’t hold us back from trying to play a proper knockout stage.”

The away goals rule has been scrapped and while Klopp is unsure how much of a difference it will make and is adamant his side never based their first-leg tactics around it, he hopes to get the kind of win to ensure Liverpool do not require a special European night at Anfield on 8 March.

“We don’t want to rely too much on Anfield,” he explained. “It is fine when we need it and Anfield can push us but we don’t want to rely on it.”

Burnley 0 Liverpool 1: player ratings

BURNLEY RATINGS: Nick Pope - 6. The 29-year-old might have expected to be busier. He stopped most of what was thrown at him and was unlucky that when he blocked Fabinho’s first effort the rebound fell to the Brazilian’s feet. Getty

Connor Roberts - 6. The Welshman did well against the dual threat of Mane and Robertson. He was also effective against Jota when the Portuguese came on. Getty

James Tarkowski - 6. The 29-year-old was strong in the air and looked to play the ball long to start his side’s attacks. The conditions suited his style of play. PA

Ben Mee - 4. The 32-year-old let Mane get goal side of him for the decisive corner and then lost the striker completely. Almost put a late clearance into his own net. PA

Erik Pieters - 7. The Dutchman made Salah’s life difficult and looked to advance forward whenever the opportunity arose. His distribution was good. AFP

Aaron Lennon - 4. The 34-year-old was peripheral for most of the game. He was unable to trouble the Liverpool defence and his control was poor. AP

Ashley Westwood - 6. The 31-year-old scrapped in the midfield and used the ball well during Burnley’s better periods. He tried to spark his side’s counter-attacks. EPA

Josh Brownhill - 6. The 26-year-old was sharp in the tackle and refused to let Liverpool settle. He made a nuisance of himself in the midfield. EPA

Maxwell Cornet - 4. The Ivorian was offside too often. On the ball he showed a tendency to find blind alleys and surrender possession. Getty

Jay Rodriguez - 4. Spurned a splendid opportunity because his poor first touch let Allison save. He is a handful but the team need him to take his chances. Replaced by McNeil in the 62nd minute. Getty

Wout Weghorst - 4. The Dutchman was free on goal in the first half and produced an awful effort when trying to chip the goalkeeper. Minutes later he shot wide after running clear. He limped off injured in the 75th minute. AP

SUBS: Dwight McNeil - 6. The winger joined the action with 28 minutes left for Rodriguez. He provided more width and threat. PA

Ashley Barnes - 5. The 32-year-old entered the fray when Weghorst limped off in the 75th minute. He lacked the subtlety to change the course of the game. Getty

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 8. The Brazilian was on fine form, denying Brownhill and Rodriguez and forcing Weghorst to misfire when in a good position. He was quick off his line and confident on the ball. AFP

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6. The wind had an impact on the 23-year-old’s passing but he still created moments of danger. His corner led to Fabinho’s goal. AFP

Joel Matip - 6. The conditions made it difficult for defenders and the 30-year-old had moments of uncertainty. Clever positioning got him out of trouble and he was strong during Burnley’s late barrage. AP

Virgil van Dijk - 7. The Dutchman harnessed the defence with aplomb and sprung the offside trap frequently. He coped admirably with Burnley’s physical threat. AP

Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot was eager to get forward but his distribution was not up to his normal levels. He was more restrained in the second half but never shirked the battle. Getty

Fabinho - 7. The Brazilian dug in and came out on top in the midfield scrap. He was first to many free balls in the central areas. His goal settled the match and came as a result of a committed run. EPA

Naby Keita - 7. The Guinean used the ball particularly well in the first half and forced Pope to make a diving save. He harried Burnley after the break and ran tirelessly until withdrawn for Milner in stoppage time. AP

Jordan Henderson - 4. The captain’s passing was wayward and his game was not helped when a moment of poor control in the first half led to him sustaining an injury. Replaced by Thiago in the 59th minute. Getty

Mohamed Salah - 5. The Egyptian tried to get into dangerous positions but things never quite worked for him. He was kept on a tight rein by the Burnley defence. Getty

Roberto Firmino - 4. The Brazilian could not impose himself on the game. His link play lacked its usual intelligence and his passing was imprecise. Getty

Sadio Mane - 7. The Senegalese caused the defence problems down the left and he got a crucial touch from a corner to set up the only goal. He made way for Jota in the 67th minute. PA

SUBS: Thiago Alcantara - 6. Replaced Henderson in the 59th minute. He was calm in possession but his forward passing was too ambitious. AP

Diogo Jota - 5. The Portuguese joined the action with 23 minutes to go at Mane’s expense. He had one chance but otherwise found it hard to make an impact. PA

James Milner - 5. Came on in stoppage time for Keita. He was a reassuring presence to see out the game. Reuters

Klopp has the luxury of choice with what he believes is his best-ever squad. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have returned from the African Cup of Nations and slotted straight back in.

“Both are a force of nature, hopefully they stay like that,” Klopp said.

Meanwhile, new signing Luis Diaz has made a huge impression on his manager with his enthusiasm.

“He is an incredible player,” Klopp added. “His joy and love for football is so obvious. When you see him training, he cannot stop smiling. I have never seen a player like that. It’s crazy. I have a good feeling it will be a really nice story for Luis and Liverpool.”

He can also call upon Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in attack and those options mean Liverpool’s players will have to adjust to more of a squad-rotation system.

“I cannot play always the same line-up just because we won the last game,” Klopp said. “The boys have to deal with it as well. It is something we have to learn., We never had it before. It is pretty exciting.”

For the first time under Klopp, Liverpool are still in all four competitions at this stage of the season and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold said: “One trophy a season is the minimum we need to be achieving. We are not in that phase now where we are happy just to get to finals and it is a day out.”