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Micah Richards has warned Liverpool to be wary of the threat posed by Benfica forward Darwin Nunez in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.
The Champions League quarter-finals draw took place on Friday. Jurgen Klopp's side have been pitted against Portuguese giants Benfica, with the second leg of the tie scheduled to take place at Anfield.
While Chelsea and Manchester City drew Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid respectively, Liverpool received a comparatively easier tie. Many expect the Reds to beat Benfica and book their place in the Champions League semi-finals without much trouble.
However, Richards has warned the Merseyside-based club against taking Benfica lightly. The former Premier League defender went on to provide a 'word of warning' about Eagles forward Nunez. He wrote in his Daily Mail column:
"Liverpool fans will have been delighted at how the Champions League draw panned out but let me provide a word of warning. Darwin Nunez has caught my eye all year and he came up trumps for Benfica once again, to send them into the last eight."
"Nunez scored his 26th goal of the season and is only 22. He is tall, strong, he runs in behind and knows how to finish. He’s scored against Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Ajax so far — don’t discount him doing the same against Liverpool."
The Uruguay international has scored 26 goals and provided two assists from 33 appearances across all competitions for Benfica this season. He netted the winner for the Primeira Liga giants in their Champions League Round of 16 tie against Ajax last week.
Nunez has also scored against Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Europe this campaign. He will be looking to add more to his tally when Benfica face the Reds in the quarter-finals in April.
Can Liverpool go all the way in the Champions League
The Reds have arguably received the most favorable draw in the Champions League quarter-finals. With the second leg of their tie with Benfica held at Anfield, they are the favorites to progress into the semi-finals, according to many.
Should they beat Benfica, Jurgen Klopp's side will face either Bayern Munich or Villarreal in the semi-finals. If they manage to reach the Champions League final, they could be in line to face Manchester City, Real Madrid, Chelsea or Atletico Madrid.
It is worth noting that the Reds have already won one trophy this season. They remain active in the three competitions they are a part of and are hopeful of winning the quadruple this term.
