Since scoreless draws are now so genuinely rare at the second leg, Jurgen Klopp has been discussing with his Liverpool players how to navigate a seismic Champions League.
There’s also the marginally wavering situations of two very well matched teams, that Klopp also alluded to before the game.
“It was only three weeks ago I had to calm everyone down because they were saying: ‘It’s only Bayern, they are not in the best moment and you have to go through’,” Klopp argued. Three weeks later we are second and they are first and it’s: ‘Oh wow’.”
Who would be the ideal opponent for Man City in the 1/4 finals?
🏴 Manchester United
🏴 Tottenham Hotspur
🇮🇹 Juventus
🇳🇱 Ajax
🇵🇹 Porto
🏴 Liverpool / Bayern Munich 🇩🇪
🇫🇷 Lyon / Barcelona 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/2jVhxNZ8RU— Football Super Tips (@FootySuperTips) March 13, 2019
Those close to the Bayern squad say they are suddenly buoyantly confident. That is to be expected given they’ve quickly returned to their excellent standards since the first leg, having just hammered Wolfsburg 6-0.
This is the Bayern everyone knows and fears. This is why Liverpool are bracing themselves for a different tone of tie to the first leg, especially from the very start. It was notable how Virgil van Dijk almost perfectly echoed Klopp’s words about that, revealing how it is something that has been drilled into the team.
City’s progression means there will be at least three English teams in the quarter-final of a Champions League campaign for the first time since 2010/11.
Liverpool will look to make that four by navigating Wednesday’s last-16 second leg at the Allianz Arena, but Guardiola hopes City’s title rivals stumble at his old club.
“I’m sorry for the English people but I want Bayern to go through,” Guardiola said. “I am part of this club. I love Munich. I love Bayern. I have a lot of friends there.”