Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has deemed himself satisfied with the challenge that lies ahead in Champions League Group A, including an assessment of Rangers and the rest of the games to follow.
Last season, the Reds lost the final at the Stade de France against Real Madrid, their third in the last five years which included the 2019 success over Spurs at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in the Spanish capital.
Now they prepare to go again but a very competitive group stage awaits with Ajax, Napoli and Rangers providing the opposition.
Klopp sounded impressed and engaged as reported by LFC’s official website:
“The first thing to say is this is a proper, proper challenge. All of the clubs have quality, they all have pedigree and I would say they all have a chance.”
He added on Gio van Bronckhorst’s team:
“Rangers are a new opponent for us but we know them, too. Their story over the last few years has been really interesting and they did really, really well to qualify for the group stage, given the teams they were up against in the qualifying matches.”
“We also know a couple of their players well. Ryan Kent has had a great development since moving to Scotland and Ben Davies is just starting out on his journey with Rangers, so it will be good to come up against them.”
History
The contests to take place at Ibrox and Anfield over the next couple of months will be the first time ever that Rangers and Liverpool have met, competitively. Those games will capture the imagination with plenty of sparks to fly on and off the pitch.
Liverpool haven’t enjoyed a great start to their Premier League campaign so they are very much still trying to find their rhythm. An early Group A meeting could work in Rangers favour but it will still be a huge test for the Gers.
Our very own Scouser John Lundstram will be very happy to test himself against the best in his own back yard, whilst the likes of Kent and Davies, as mentioned above, will have their own motivations.
The fixtures for all the Champions League group stage games should be set later on Friday, with ticket info for Ibrox expected sooner than later, too.
Had to laugh when I read that Borna Barisic says ” teammates will have to up their game in the Champions League”?
How about him upping his game in the SPL, getting a tackle in now and then, and not back peddling in Celtic games, like a 12 year old schoolboy.
He’s one to talk….maybe he should follow a career in journalism?