Jurgen Klopp has pledged that Liverpool will not underestimate Samuel Chukwueze and his Villarreal teammates in the Champions League semi-finals.
Chukwueze’s Villarreal will be guests to Klopp’s side in the first leg of the last-four clash at Anfield on Wednesday night.
The Spanish outfit ousted heavyweights like Juventus and Bayern Munich to reach this stage of the competition.
And Klopp has insisted that Liverpool will not take them lightly.
“There might have been a slight advantage [for Villarreal] where Juve or Bayern might have underestimated them but that won’t happen with us. They want to be part of the final but it’s the same importance for us,” he said on Tuesday.
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“They’re seventh in LaLiga. After they won the quarter-final with Bayern, in between they played Bilbao and Unai changed 11 times. Spain is obviously competitive.
“It’s a difficult league to be successful in but Unai shows he has a plan for each result 1-0 up, 1-0 down etc.
“We have properly analysed Villarreal. I have proper respect for Unai and them. I watched them properly and wow! Impressive.
“He is a detail-obsessed manager. Different ways to press and react to different results. A world-class coach doing an incredible job.”
Klopp added that he will be at the ‘top of his game’ on the touchline on Wednesday night as he called on fans to create a ‘similar atmosphere’ to that memorable night three years ago against Barcelona.
“We need a similar atmosphere and a big performance. I need to be on top of my game, so do the boys, that is fine,” he added.
“If a semi-final in this competition would be easy, something would be really wrong. I can’t wait for it, to be honest.”
2 Comments
Villarreal are playing 4-4-1-1 which was very effective vs Bayern Munich. Villarreal can attack too if they want to. Since it’s home for Liverpool, they will like to attack as usual since they are playing 4-3-3. This is where they need to be careful. Any space at the back since Liverpool defence like coming to assist upfront. Coach Unai is a tactician and cunning. He can inflict some fatal injury aka Bayern Munich at home style. I want to see a repeat of that in Liverpool but my heart really want Liverpool to win. Madrid vs Liverpool finals. My wish!
The real danger for Liverpool is that Klopp will OVER-ESTIMATE Chukwueze, and waste resources trying to nullify a threat that is not all that.
As long as Chukwueze’s game remains as it is, top level defenders will not have a problem shutting him down. He may have a fluke game here and there where he excels because of his pace, but 90% of the time, they will cage him.
His game is too predictable.
If he makes the necessary changes to his game, he has the potential to be as good as the likes of Salah and Mahrez. But as he is currently, it’s just too easy for top defenders.