Football: Liverpool won't make the mistake of underestimating Villarreal, says Klopp

LIVERPOOL (REUTERS, AFP) - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Tuesday (April 26) that Juventus and Bayern Munich may have underestimated Villarreal but his team will not make the same mistake when the two sides meet in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Villarreal have been the surprise package in this season's competition, having beaten European giants Juve and Bayern in the knockout stages to reach their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years.

"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," Klopp told reporters ahead of the game at Anfield.

"It's special. It's crazy - a massive game. So many coaches, players work their socks off their whole lives and don't get close to this. We have to cherish it and enjoy it."

The German lavished praise on counterpart Unai Emery, calling him a "world-class coach" whose team are adept at dealing with different game situations.

"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."

Liverpool last featured in this stage of the competition three years ago, against Barcelona, and Klopp said that home support, which helped them turn around a 3-0 deficit from the first leg in 2019, would be crucial.

"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. If a semi-final in this competition would be easy, something would be really wrong. I can't wait for it, to be honest," he said.

"There are moments when we will suffer and I know that. We don't need to get nervous but we can make them suffer too."

Suffer they will if Dani Parejo is to be believed after the Villarreal captain said his team are convinced they can spring another surprise and beat Liverpool to reach the final.

The Yellow Submarines sit seventh in La Liga but have a knack for upsetting Europe's biggest teams, after also prevailing against Arsenal and Manchester United to win the Europa League last year.

"We have complete confidence," said Parejo in Tuesday's press conference.

"On the basis of the teams we have beaten, not only this year, but also last year in the Europa League, and now the journey we have had in this Champions League.

"We are calm and we look at the group we have - we have good individuals but our greatest strength is the team.

"Knocking out Juventus and Bayern was very important for us because it showed we can reach a level where we can compete with these teams."

With Real Madrid up against Manchester City in the other semi-final, Villarreal are certainly the underdogs of the last four.

"We're playing the favourites, but we want to be us and to play on the front foot," said Villarreal coach Emery.

"The journey does not have to end, we want to be in charge, to create chances.

"In normal conditions, they are superior to us but we have our own ideas, individually and as a team, to allow us to compete."

Emery said Villarreal will no longer be an unknown to Liverpool after their victories over Juve and Bayern.

"The surprise factor decreases," he said.

"That was more important against Juve and Bayern, but it won't be the case now. Liverpool know that we are here because we have been able to compete. For us, that means the challenge is greater."

Emery has faced Liverpool twice at Anfield and lost both times, 5-1 and 3-1, when he was Arsenal manager.

"They have a very clear identity at Anfield," said Emery.

"It's Liverpool, the best Liverpool that I have known, but I take that as motivation to play the perfect game and to beat Liverpool at their best."

Emery confirmed Yeremy Pino will miss the first leg through injury, while striker Gerard Moreno is still recovering from a hamstring strain and is also unlikely to be available.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have the chance to clinch an unprecedented quadruple this season after having already won the League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final, while they trail English Premier League leaders Man City by one point with five games to play.

"It's very special... how we've reacted to last year is very special in itself but still a long way to go. I know how quickly football can change," Klopp added.