Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool travel to Budapest on Tuesday to take on Leipzig in the first leg of their round of 16 knockout Champions League tie. The need for a neutral site for the match is due once again to the COVID pandemic and travel restrictions to Germany from England and elsewhere on the continent.
This is also the same travel restriction which saw Jurgen Klopp forced to miss the wake of his mother who recently passed. Our hearts go out to him in his hour of grief and loss.
The Reds have been on the bloody end of the hard luck-hard times trolly in their Premier League campaign in the new year, having dropped points in six of their eight Premier League ties to date; losing four of these.
Liverpool need to reclaim their confidence
Everyone knows the unrivaled adversity this team have faced since mid October, the unflagging unrelenting injuries, the drop in form that stems in large from the overall effect of the complete lack of continuity in the defense and midfield.
The 13 different center back combinations the gaffer has bern forced to utilize in the campaign thus far speaks directly to this dilemma. The insidiously absurd effects of the pandemic which still pose a threat to the game after a year of viral contagion has also had an adverse effect on players and the absence of fans.
Indeed, Klopp has been forced through circumstances largely beyond his control, to negotiate this minefield of outrageous misfortune, to also include some extremely dubious officiating decisions from on-field and VAR officials; and I use this term ‘officials’ tongue in cheek, as some of the decisions that have come down against Liverpool defy credulity.
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And so we now turn to Europe, in hopes that a change of venue and scenery might spark a shift in fortunes, confidence, and form. Leipzig under Julian Nagelsmann are no slouch team, no pushover opponent and fully deserve to be in the knockout rounds. As such, they should not be underestimated here, as they are completely capable of eliminating the Reds should Klopp and the lads not give this side the respect and due diligence required for such a tie. There are no easy breezy ties in the knockouts of Champions League
Liverpool will need to be on point and full of fire if they are to see this through to the return engagement at Anfield in March. At a minimum they will need to score at least one away goal to have any chance of proceeding to the next round.
All of the pressure here is on the lads in Red; and Klopp will need to keep them focused and mentally prepared for a dogfight in Budapest. A good solid performance here could go a long way to restoring much needed confidence in their challenge now in the Premier League to secure a top four spot, as a repeat as champions is simply a bridge too far now with only 13 matches remaining in this campaign.
It is anyone’s guess how the Reds will perform, or even who will be called upon to fill the starting teamsheet. Case in point Ben Davies, the recent addition to the side in the winter transfer window, to provide much needed cover at center back is apparently injured without a single feature in a Reds jersey. This is the hard luck in a nutshell that has defined this Reds season thus far.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, it is said, and form is temporary and elusive at times, but class is permanent. And I expect this Liverpool side to show their class, character, and champion quality in this knockout tie and in their remaining Premier League campaign.