Jurgen Klopp says it will be tough for Liverpool to turn around their Champions League fortunes against Real Madrid at an empty Anfield despite their reputation as “comeback kings”.
Liverpool famously overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Barcelona in the 2019 semi-final, winning 4-0 at a frenzied Anfield on their way to being crowned European champions for a sixth time.
And next Wednesday they must do something similar. An away goal gives them a lifeline but they will be playing behind closed doors due to coronavirus regulations.
“Of course, it is completely different,” said Klopp.
“If you want to have some emotional memories, then you watch the Barcelona game back and 80 percent of this game was the atmosphere in the stadium, so yes, we have to do it without that.
“But it is not that I sit here and think, ‘Comebacks are our thing, we do it all the time’. We did from time to time but we always had supporters in the stadium.
“We don’t have that this time so I don’t know if we can do it, but I can promise you we will give it a proper try.”
The other factor counting against Klopp’s men is their shocking recent home form, which has torpedoed their Premier League title defence.
Liverpool have not won at Anfield since mid-December, losing six of their eight matches at their former fortress and scoring a paltry two goals.
