This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
As Liverpool prepares to defend their Champions League title, manager Jurgen Klopp has cautioned against complacency, stating that his team cannot be considered the best in Europe.
Speaking ahead of their Group E opener against Napoli on Tuesday, Klopp acknowledged the Reds' impressive performance last season, but emphasized the need to prove themselves constantly.
“There are a lot of good teams out there and you have to prove that constantly,” Klopp said, adding that Manchester City are the best team in the world.
“Last season, we were really good. I’m not too sure we were the best team in Europe, but we were really good in the right moments and that’s why we won the Champions League,” Klopp explained.
With Napoli posing a strong challenge, Klopp stressed the importance of maintaining a high performance level, citing the Italian side's strengths in counter-attacks and creativity.
“Last year, we learned from one game to the next game and we have to use that experience, because if we don’t defend with all we have then we have no chance against Napoli. They are so strong,” Klopp said.
Captain Jordan Henderson echoed Klopp's sentiments, emphasizing that the players have put last season's success to the back of their minds.
“Last season was last season,” Henderson said. “We can take experience from the campaign and, if we can take that into this campaign, ultimately we feel we can still do a lot of things better and everything is possible again.”
However, the Reds will be without Divock Origi, who twisted his ankle in the 3-1 victory over Newcastle at the weekend, while left-back Andy Robertson is expected to be fit for the game.
