Liverpool won’t welcome the comparison, but it is starting to look like the 2018 Champions League all over again for Jurgen Klopp and his players.
A saunter through the group stage, a Portuguese team in the knockout, and the prospect of a semi-final rather less intimidating than was first imagined. Hell, there is even the chance of Real Madrid in the final.
Back then, the Reds - and the rest of the world - were convinced their ‘reward’ for coming through a difficult quarter-final was a mammoth showdown with one of the true titans of world football in the last four.
It was Barcelona then, who led Roma 4-1 after the first leg of their own quarter final, with the bookies stopping the betting on their place in the semi. This time, it was supposed to be Bayern Munich, the Germans also overwhelming favourites after their narrow first leg defeat in Spain. Yet the fact that Villarreal somehow beat all those odds stacked against them, somehow survived an onslaught from one of the most powerful teams in European football to nick a late winner, changes everything for the Reds.
Instantly, the bookies made Liverpool favourites to win the Champions League, and also brought them in to just 12-1 to complete an historic quadruple. And without question, Klopp’s side now have a clear pathway to Paris on May 28, and one which - at this level - seems a relatively serene passage to their 10th final in the competition. It gives Klopp real food for thought, starting with his team selection against Benfica, as he looks to get the job done with the least amount of fuss possible.
The bookies are rarely wrong, and there is no doubt the Champions League represents their best chance of winning another trophy this season now. In essence, they need only to avoid a defeat of 2-0 or more against Benfica after their 3-1 win in the first leg, and then beat Villarreal over two legs to reach the final. City’s pathway is much tougher, with the gnarled cynicism of Atletico Madrid and then Real standing in the way. So does Klopp go all out now, in picking his strongest line up at Anfield against the Portuguese?
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Or does he go defensive, to hold onto a draw in the second leg, and keep some players back for the visit to Wembley and another showdown with City on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-finals? It is intriguing, as is the manager’s view of Liverpool’s quadruple challenge this season. He has already stated winning four trophies is almost impossible, and not even part of his team’s thinking. Yet this is Jurgen Klopp. This is the manager who, when asked what Benfica’s approach at Anfield would be, he said: “I don’t know, but I know what I would do - go for it, FULL THROTTLE!”
And you suspect, observing him so closely over these past seven years at Liverpool, that will be his approach to the quadruple. It is there, still possible, so why not go for it, full throttle? No team has ever got this far into the season still involved in the four biggest trophies you can chase. No English team, no European giant. Not a single other side. So to prioritise and reduce your chances in another competition would be alien to Klopp’s way of thinking. He won’t say this in public, but this chance may NEVER come around again. So why not throw every single ounce of energy at it?
That is why you suspect he’ll play a slightly pragmatic game against Benfica. Does he rest Joel Matip? Very probably, given Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are reliable alternatives. Virgil van Dijk? No chance. He could, though, rest Andy Robertson, with Kostas Tsimikas solid defensively and good going forward. The big questions are in the midfield and up front though. Thiago played 90 minutes at City, so surely he will be rested with Naby Keita coming in. Does Fabinho also get a rest? Or Jordan Henderson. Perhaps one of those, with James Milner or Curtis Jones alternatives.
Up front, Luis Diaz has to start, as does Roberto Firmino. So that leaves the choice of Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for the final berth, unless Klopp goes completely left field and selects Taki Minamino or even Divock Origi? Five subs make that eminently possible, and Klopp has already hinted strongly he will look at “freshening up” his side, with the importance of substitutes high on his list of thoughts. “In these competitions, we have to make these changes,” he said pre match. “We are in April and the boys already have 40-50 games in their legs, so we have to make these changes early, with half an hour’s time to be really influential.” So he WILL make changes for Benfica, in order to give himself the best of chance of going full throttle towards a quadruple, and history.
Liverpool's probable XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Tsimikas; Keita, Henderson, Milner; Mane, Firmino, Diaz
