European nights at Anfield may be the stuff of cliches, but they can be magical, mythical affairs. What they have not been is empty occasions, the usual noise and colour replaced by four empty stands. Liverpool’s historic home was last full for a Champions League game, against Atletico Madrid in March. Its next continental clash, against FC Midtjylland, will be altogether quieter.
For Jurgen Klopp, the soundtrack will be different but the aims the same. “We love that competition and still loved the competition when we got knocked out last year, too early,” he said. “It is Europe, it is Anfield, it is the Champions League. No crowd but it is still the competition we love. We will see how far we can go. There are no guarantees but there are opportunities and I like opportunities.”
Klopp’s Liverpool have made the most of their chances, reaching the 2018 final and lifting the Champions League in 2019. They have since claimed the Premier League, but their aura of invincibility was established in Europe. Atletico inflicted Klopp’s first defeat in a two-legged European tie as Liverpool manager and even that came with an asterisk in unusual times.
“People forget that when you lose but we played a really good game in Madrid which we lost 1-0 and played a super game at home which we lost,” Klopp explained. “It sounds crazy, but what more can you do? It was a strange time; the last game before lockdown.”
Midtjylland, in the Champions League group stages for the first time, are not expected to provide such stiff opposition but Klopp has long been intrigued by the Danish club, who share an owner, Matthew Benham, with Brentford, and who have used statistics to propel their rise. During his sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund, he looked to learn from them.
“About five years ago, in my break, I was interested to go for a while to Midtjylland or Brentford to see what they do exactly but then I signed for Liverpool so I couldn’t do that,” he explained. He will not underestimate them. “They will not wave the white flag,” Klopp said. “A lot of things are possible if you think quicker or different to other people. They have all my respect.”
Liverpool have borrowed from Midtjylland in one respect. Their throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark works with both clubs, though Klopp said he is too professional to divulge any secrets. “Ajax used to work with him,” Klopp noted. “We are the Thomas Gronnemark group, pretty much.”
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Ajax v Liverpool ratings
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Liverpool beat Ajax 1-0 last week in their first game without the injured Virgil van Dijk. "Last week was not the best of our lives," said Klopp. "But we can influence the response and I like the response. Every team would miss Virgil van Dijk. He is the best centre-half in the world. He plays pretty much every game for two-and-a-half years and three days later you have to build a new line-up. All the boys play together with Virg but they don't play without him."
Liverpool remain without one alternative in Joel Matip, plus Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara, so Fabinho will continue in defence. “He is doing really well as a centre-back but we miss a lot Virgil, we cannot deny that,” said Alisson Becker.
The goalkeeper himself has given Liverpool a defensive boost after making a swifter-than-expected return from a shoulder injury against Sheffield United on Saturday. “As soon as the doctor said it was four-to-six weeks, I said ‘No, doc, we go to two or three maximum,” explained the Brazilian. “And he agrees with me and we go for it.”
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Liverpool v Sheffield United ratings
