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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted that the Reds will not take their UEFA Champions League semi-finals opponents Villarreal lightly.
Klopp and Co will host Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final tie at Anfield on Wednesday. With the second leg scheduled to be played in Spain next week, the Reds will be hopeful of taking a healthy lead at home.
It is worth noting that Liverpool's Premier League rivals Manchester City will take on Real Madrid in the other semi-final. Many thus believe that the Anfield outfit have the best draw among the remaining four teams in the competition.
However, Klopp is wary of underestimating Unai Emery's side on Wednesday. The German is of the view that Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich might have taken Villarreal lightly in the quarter-finals and is keen to ensure his side do not do the same on Wednesday. He told a press conference [via The Echo]:
"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 [Champions League] final but it's the same importance for us."
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's clash, Klopp insisted that he has the utmost respect for Villarreal. He also went on to hail Emery as a 'world-class coach'. He said:
"We have properly analyzed Villarreal. I have proper respect for Unai [Emery] and them. I watched them properly and wow! Impressive. He is a detail-obsessed manager. Different ways to press and react to different results. A world-class coach doing an incredible job."
Liverpool locked horns with Emery's Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League final in Basel in 2016. The Reds took the lead through Daniel Sturridge that night, but the La Liga club came from behind to win the game 3-1.
Can Liverpool reach third Champions League final under Klopp?
The Reds have enjoyed significant success in Europe since Klopp took charge of the club in 2015. He led the Merseyside-based club to the Europa League final in his very first season.
Liverpool then reached the Champions League final two seasons later. However, they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of La Liga giants Real Madrid in what proved to be a nightmare for Loris Karius.
Klopp's side, though, bounced back from the setback by winning the competition the following year, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the win. They also went on to win the UEFA Super Cup in 2019.
The Reds now have the chance to reach their third Champions League final under Klopp.
