Klopp: ‘We want these difficult games. We want to play for something.’

Jurgen Klopp last night delivered his pre-match press conference after his side arrived in Barcelona.

The reds are in the Catalan capital for the first leg of an enticing UEFA Champions League semi-final.  Liverpool endured a wild ride at the same stage last season in what ultimately was a 7-6 aggregate win over Italian side AS Roma.

Recently crowned La Liga champions for the 8th time in 11 years, Barcelona and Leo Messi are exceptionally keen on returning a 6th Champions League title - having exited the competition at the Quarter Final stage for the last three years.

But for Klopp he insisted that the reds remain the underdogs and that Liverpool are enjoying their rejuvenation that has meant the last two ends of season have meant something.

"We like the situation, the boys created that situation and now we are here. It’s a wonderful situation, to be honest: flying here, going to Barcelona. It’s not even two years ago that it was a big, big thing for the club to qualify for the Champions League and now we are second time in a row in the semi-finals – that’s big. It’s only positive and everybody sees it like that.

With concerns about Firmino's availability, not to mention Barcelona's extraordinary array of talent, Klopp was asked about the 90 minutes ahead:

'Will we be perfect? For sure not, that's not possible. Will we make mistakes? Yes. Will we suffer? Yes, 100 per cent. Will there be moments when we have a chance? Oh, 100 per cent. Can we use them? I hope so, that's what we try to do.

'We can be completely free to play that game. I know people make of it that we became better in the last couple of years and - maybe not here - but people say Barcelona are not the Barcelona anymore without Xavi and Iniesta or whatever.

'It is a brilliant team here and we are [for] the first year or the second year a little bit in contention, but they are here for maybe 20 years. It will be so difficult, but I couldn't be more excited about having the opportunity to play it.

'That's what I hope I can transport to my players - that they feel the same. Let's play football.

Liverpool have not lost at the Nou Camp in their 4 matches there down the years.  Barcelona have not lost in their last 31 Champions League home games.

Kick off in the Nou Camp is at 8pm this evening.

VIDEO: Jurgen Klopp ahead of Barcelona v Liverpool

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