Jurgen Klopp has issued a simple message to his team: Go and finish a brilliant job by winning in Rome.
The Liverpool manager believes his side have proved they can do just that by producing an all time great performance – “the perfect game” for 80 minutes on a quite astonishing Anfield European night where they romped into a 5-0 lead.
But two goals from Roma in a crazy finale to the game have given the Italians another chance for a great Champions’ League escape, which their own boss Eusebio Di Francesco insists is possible if his team believe.
Klopp though, is adamant Liverpool have shown they are capable of winning in Rome where no other European side has succeeded this season..,even if they have taken the tough route once more.
“Liverpool always has to take the slightly more difficult way, so it is again like this,” he said with a smile.
“But in the end Liverpool have often succeeded and we will try with all we have to make this happen. What I learned tonight was we can win the second game as well – even thought it will be different.
“Roma have to try and score three goals, and we have shown we can score goals against them. We are not Barcelona, they have won so many things in the last few years and we didn’t. But we will fight with all we have to do it again.”
Klopp expects another hostile night in the Stadio Olympico, and he also warned his team: “
If one of my players doesn’t think Rome will not try to come back, then he will not play. That it’s what I like to say.”
But the German is adamant that in Mo Salah Liverpool have a world class weapon who not only destroyed Roma here with two incredible goals and two more assists, but also instilled paralysing fear in the Italian defence.
The Reds boss was criticised for taking Salah off 15 minutes from time, with his team seemingly in the final at 5-0 up, but he fired back strongly:
“If anyone wants to say it was my mistake we conceded two goals because I changed the striker I have no problem with that.
“But I can not prepare for just one game. We stopped passing the ball well, and Mo was having to run after every ball. If he got injured trying to do that, it would have been bad for us, and that I why I changed him.”
Roma know, he will be there in the second leg. “What a player – if you think he is the best in the world say it, he is in outstanding shape, world class shape.
“To be the best in the world you need to do it longer I think and others have been, but he is a fantastic player, an outstanding player. In that shape, outstanding, pretty much impossible to defend, to be honest.
“He had a massive impact on that of course – the first goal was a genius strike, and he has scored so many goals like that so it is no co-incidence.”
Despite the incredible performance, Klopp was still in a sombre mood, and he explained it was because Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain damaged knee ligaments:
“I can see you are surprised why I am not flying mood wise – we lost a fantastic player tonight and that is not good news.
“It looks like this, his season is over. We do not no exactly, but if all the medical department is worried even before they see the scan then it is probably serious. I am optimistic so I hope it feels worse than it is, but it is probably a really bad injury.”
While Klopp is confident his side can win in Rome, Di Francesco said his side don’t need a miracle, just belief they can repeat their stunning 3-0 defeat of Barcelona in the quarter final.
“Let me remind you once again the tie is not over, and we have proved it, we have shown we can come back – we scored three goals at home against Barcelona, so we can do it.
“If any of my players does not believe they can stay away from the second leg. I feel responsible for this, but I believe we can come back in the second leg.
“Hope is still there, we don’t need miracles we just need to believe in what we do against a quality team – a different team to Barcelona, and it will be difficult of course, but our fans will be behind us, and we can believe.”
